NHS and the whole of society must act on social determinants of health for a healthier future

The UK is facing a prolonged and serious health crisis.At a time when the future of the NHS is in jeopardy after over a decade of austerity, and with public satisfaction at an all time low, 1 it must pick up the pieces of failures across government.Attaining good health requires more than healthcare, and improvements in the provision of healthcare by the NHS alone is inadequate to address the health crisis-action is needed on the social determinants of health 2 (box 1). Box 1: Definition of social determinants of health 3The social determinants of health are defined by the World Health Organization as: "the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age, and the wider set of forces and systems shaping the conditions of daily life.These forces and systems include economic policies and systems, development agendas, social norms, social policies, and political systems.