New public health budget for local councils announced

The government has announced details of its landmark two-year ring-fenced public health budget scheme for local councils, which commences in April 2013.

Local authorities are to be provided with a protected budget of 5.45 billion pounds between 2013 and 2015 to improve health at a community level, with funding to be specifically targeted at areas with the worst health outcomes.

It is the first time that public health budgets have been ring-fenced in this way, with the move set to see every local authority receiving a real-terms increase in funding.

This initiative comes as part of the government's wider efforts to help people across the UK to live longer, healthier and more fulfilling lives, while tackling inequalities in healthcare provision.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt said: "We are giving [councils] the power, freedom and the funding to tackle the issues that blight their local areas and help improve the lives of their local communities."

This comes in the same week that 120 million pounds will be invested in health research over the next five years via a new National Institute for Health Research initiative.