Medical professionals have observed an increase in patients suffering from Victorian-era diseases such as scabies, prompting the Royal College of Physicians to advocate for more government action to combat poverty. Out of 882 surveyed doctors, 89% expressed concern regarding the effect of health disparities on their patients, while 72% reported an uptick in patients with ailments linked to substandard housing, air pollution, and limited access to transportation in the past three months. The Royal College of Physicians discovered that 46% of the doctors stated at least half of their caseload involved illnesses related to social determinants.
Some doctors have noted the resurgence of Victorian skin diseases, including erysipelas and scabies, and malnutrition due to poverty, which can prolong patients’ recovery times. Additionally, there have been cases of hypothermia among patients unable to afford home heating.
The Royal College of Physicians is urging the government to provide more details on its health mission and outline measures to address these health issues. Dr. Ash Bassi, a consultant gastroenterologist, emphasized the impact of damp and cold housing on patients’ health, stating that food insecurity and inadequate screening programs further exacerbate health disparities. Patients experiencing unstable employment or financial difficulties often delay seeking medical help, leading to severe illnesses.
Dr. John Dean, the clinical vice-president of the Royal College of Physicians, called for the government to prioritize the root causes of ill-health, such as housing, employment, tobacco, obesity, and air quality. He highlighted the need for the health mission delivery board to develop a cross-government strategy to reduce health inequalities and address social determinants of health.
In response, the Department of Health and Social Care acknowledged the government’s commitment to addressing healthcare inequalities and plans to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions in England. They emphasized the importance of a fundamental shift from treating sickness to prevention in order to promote better health and reduce pressure on the NHS.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/03/doctors-urge-government-fight-poverty-victorian-diseases
