Sir, Investment in public health is already under intense pressure as local authorities use funding for this service to cover cuts to other budgets, yet the government has announced a further £200 million of cuts from the public health grant. That sum is equivalent to the total public health grant for Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool combined.
At a time when a third of Britons are projected to be obese by 2030, 70 children a day are smoking their first cigarettes, and the total cost of alcohol harm has been estimated as £20 billion in England, public health services are more vital than ever in delivering preventative care.
Further cuts will end up costing the NHS and the taxpayer more money in the long term,