National and local governments can help drive the change needed to start narrowing the unacceptable health inequalities gaps between various groups. Professor Jim McManus and Julia Weldon explain

The Association of Directors of Public Health have published a new position statement on health inequalities. It focuses on solutions to closing the unacceptable gap between outcomes for people in different economic, geographic and cultural groups.

We know there has been a disparity in mortality rates between the most and least deprived areas for decades. We also know there is a difference in healthy life expectancy between people living in these areas – a difference which has been steadily increasing in recent years.