Higher NHS spending in deprived areas “can reduce health inequalities”

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. Higher NHS spending in deprived areas "can reduce health inequalities”. Dropping this policy may widen inequalities, warn researchers Higher NHS spending in deprived areas compared with more affluent ones has led to a reduction in health inequalities from causes amenable to healthcare in England, according to a study involving Durham researchers, published by the British Medical Journal today. In 1999, the government introduced a new 'health inequalities' objective for the allocation of NHS resources in England, which resulted in greater NHS spending in deprived areas with the worst health outcomes. But it was not known whether this policy was successful in contributing to a reduction in health inequalities.