"The emphasis should be on both governments and the departments of health, education and finance to promote increased healthy living programmes with targeted resources for the less well off in our society because poverty and ill health are inter-related, " he said.

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Praising the UK government's moves on public health and a report linking poverty with ill health, she called for public health to be rebuilt for a new era.

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Any money the country saves by keeping people on benefits in poverty is spent in extra costs of ill health, crime and social exclusion.

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