Physicians: Cross-society measures needed

Policy measures that target a variety of areas in society are needed to reduce the health inequalities that exist in the UK, according to the Royal College of Physicians (RCP).

The group has welcomed the government's latest strategy to improving life expectancy and quality of life and said it hopes funding "will be in excess of that already available".

RCP president Professor Ian Gilmore commented that much of health inequality can only be tackled "in parallel by national policy measures".

"For example," he explained, "by reducing the availability and increasing the price of alcohol, encouraging new forms of medicinal nicotine to help those who find it difficult to give up smoking, and counteracting the conflicting commercial interests that so often undermine public health initiatives".