THE THATCHER LEGACY

"The findings, based on an analysis of the World Health Organisation’s World Mortality Database, and published in The Lancet medical journal, add to recent evidence that the UK’s child mortality rate is the second-worst in western Europe.
"Both studies identified higher levels of child poverty and economic inequality in the UK as key factors behind its declining performance.
"The new study, carried out by experts at University College London, also highlighted that problems in the UK’s healthcare system may be a factor – a reference to longstanding concerns that the NHS performs poorly in terms of caring for patients with long-term health conditions."

(Charlie Cooper, The Independent, 12.6.14)