Levelling the playing fields of England: promoting health in deprived communities

Health promotion is about focusing on systems in which those 'waiting to be ill' are living their lives now. Unlike the old, the new public health agenda is about developing and implementing healthy public policies. This stance involves everyone working together to develop change in the conditions of living. This article presents a brief overview of the role of the health promotion specialist in a Primary Care Trust working with six Sure Start Programmes in a town that has high levels of poverty and deprivation. To demonstrate the principles of 'health for all', the article concludes with an overview of the development of a partnership to promote initiation and continued exclusive breastfeeding using collaborative working, community participation and equity.