In England, the Blair Labour Government
(1997–2007) commissioned an independent inquiry
into health inequalities soon after being elected.
This act provided an early signal of the priority it
attached to the issue. The Acheson Inquiry Report
(named after the former Chief Medical Officer and
chairman, Sir Donald Acheson) was published in
1998 and formed the basis of the Government’s
subsequent policy response to health inequalities in
England.12 After undertaking public consultations
to identify programmes that were successfully
tackling both the causes and effects of health
inequalities, the Government outlined a framework
for action and established procedures for evaluating
its progress over time. This strategy involved a
combination of actions to tackle both personal risk
factors as well as the social determinants of ill
health. It emphasized a leading role for the health
system, but also directed action by other government
departments. Although subsequent public
health policy statements in England have placed
greater emphasis on individual lifestyle modification,
13 the strategy to tackle health inequalities
and commitment to address the social determinants
of health has endured