Happy 175th birthday to public health

The Public Health Act 1848 was a major landmark in the history of health in England and Wales.1 It is 175 years old on 31 August 2023. Testament to the vision of the act, life expectancy in England and Wales has nearly doubled between 1841 to 2011.2 The largest increases have been through improved drinking water and sanitation, better housing, and better nutrition.3 Life expectancy continued to improve through the first 65 years of the NHS and the welfare state. But austerity policies since 2010 have seen life expectancy stall and inequalities widen. The life expectancy of women in England and Wales has declined since 2010.45 Life expectancy worsened through the covid-19 pandemic, with inequalities in death rates widening, particularly for people from ethnic minorities and for men.6Five years ago, The BMJ marked public health’s 170th birthday and asked for a big birthday present to go alongside the NHS’s 70th…
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