Doctors Warn of Victorian Disease Surge as Health Inequalities Worsen in England

The Royal College of Physicians urges immediate government action to address poverty, poor housing, and food insecurity driving health crises.

Scabies cases in England rose by 73% in the year leading to April 2024, with 3,689 hospital diagnoses linked to poor housing and poverty.
Nearly 90% of surveyed doctors report concerns over the impact of health inequalities on patients, citing damp housing, food insecurity, and air pollution as key factors.
Doctors highlight rising cases of hypothermia caused by unaffordable heating and chronic respiratory illnesses linked to damp and cold living conditions.
The Royal College of Physicians calls for a cross-government strategy to address social determinants of health, warning of a projected increase of 2.5 million major illness cases by 2040.
The UK government reiterates its commitment to halving the gap in healthy life expectancy through its 'Plan for Change,' though implementation details remain unclear.