Labour’s health mission: prevention and better primary care may extend life and improve health but are unlikely to save money

I applaud Labour, and its leader, Kier Starmer, for prioritising the prevention of ill health and shifting care into the community through primary healthcare.1Of course, many governments have chosen the same goals—sometimes repeatedly—without achieving them. Governments may think that these strategies are an alternative to financial investment, and perhaps even a means of cutting costs. Since entering public health in 1983 I have unequivocally extolled these approaches, but I have never expected them to save a penny. It is a matter of principle that it is better for individuals and populations to prevent problems—or, failing that, to pick them up early—than leaving diseases to arise or fester until the patient presents as an emergency, or even worse, dies in the community.When we prevent problems like cancer through smoking cessation or population screening, or heart attack through the use of statins or thrombolysis, we are likely to extend life expectancy, which…
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