Recommendation 27

While we welcome the government’s recent increase to the public health grant, we remain concerned that public health teams have been left with inadequate funds to carry out preventive interventions vital to healthy ageing. The shift to prevention will require a long-term, whole-system response. As part of this shift, the government must commit to shifting resources towards preventive interventions, including an immediate commitment to restoring the public health grant to 2016–17 levels in real terms. Such an investment is proven to save money, by preventing people developing ill health and reducing demand on health services. (Recommendation, Paragraph 90) 46