RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Unequal to the task: deprivation, health and UK general practice at the millennium.
JF British Journal of General Practice
JO Br J Gen Pract
FD British Journal of General Practice
SP 478
OP 485
VO 51
IS 467
A1 Beale, N
YR 2001
UL http://bjgp.org/content/51/467/478.abstract
AB The NHS is over 50 years old, but health inequalities remain prevalent in the United Kingdom (UK). Material deprivation may be less apparent; however, social deprivation is becoming worse while the markers of socioeconomic disadvantage remain unsatisfactory. Health is an even more elusive concept; nevertheless, the evidence for an increasing association between deprivation, poor health, and early death is overwhelming. Equally unavoidable is the impact of this social degradation on UK primary care. Service industries have deserted deprived communities but, on the whole, GPs struggle on. Denied the supplementary resources they deserve they become disenchanted, too exhausted to convert incentives into rewards. Clear-headed strategic thinking from the top brass is overdue.