Responding to the ONS Health Index in England, which shows that the nation’s health declined between 2018 and 2019¹, Professor Neena Modi, president of the BMA, said:

“A healthy population is one of the most important assets we have as a nation, so it’s extremely concerning to see that overall health in England declined between 2018 and 2019, down to levels last seen in 2015. This is a strong indication that health has not been a priority in Government decision-making for some considerable time.

“It is deeply worrying that the biggest driver of decline in the Healthy People domain in 2019 was a fall in the personal wellbeing subdomain, with increased feelings of anxiety among the population. With the psychological impact of the pandemic now also taking a huge toll, mental health services must be supported to give people the help they need.

“It is also shocking that the Health Index shows stark regional inequalities, with the south and east of England having better health between 2015 and 2019 than regions in the north and west of England. This must be addressed by Government in the upcoming Health Disparities White Paper with targeted investment and impactful policies.

“The Health Index data not only measures how healthy people are today but takes a bird’s eye view of what’s on the horizon – assessing how wider economic and social circumstances will affect the next generation’s ability to live healthy lives in the future. It is clear from these data – recorded before the pandemic – that the outlook is bleak without action from across all areas of Government.

“The nation’s health will not start to substantively improve without Government putting health at the heart of decision-making, and to do this, it must move beyond GDP as a measure of national success. GDP only measures the economic value of all final goods and services produced by a country, but not our health, which is essential to the nation’s wellbeing and prosperity. The Health Index shows that action across the whole of Government is needed to reverse these trends which indicate that the population will become increasingly affected by poor health. Above all, this includes preventive health actions in areas – such as education, housing, air quality, and healthy diets -  which are crucial components of the multi-faceted approach needed.

“If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is that the vibrancy of the economy is dependent upon a healthy population. Without focusing on health, the economy will pay, and a healthy and prosperous future for our nation will be difficult, if not impossible, to secure. The Government must recognise the implications of these findings and put health at the heart of all policy and decision-making.”