Tooth decay a sore subject

This week’s news pages include a story on the postcode lottery of healthcare that exists in England.

According to the National Children’s Bureau, 18.4 per cent of children living in the 30 richest areas suffer from tooth decay, compared to 31.6 per cent of four to five-year-olds in the 30 most deprived areas.

Unfortunately, it is no more of a balanced landscape in public eye health, with people in the poorest fifth of the population having an 80 per cent greater risk of developing severe visual impairment than the wealthiest fifth, according to latest figures by the Thomas Pocklington Trust.

All in all, it suggests the government faces a battle achieving social equality when it comes to health. Who knows where the country would be without subsidised NHS eye examinations.