So, farewell then...

Tributes to Sir Donald Acheson have been pouring in: the Guardian, the Times and the Telegraph have all carried obituaries recently. Acheson, who died on 10 January 2010, was Chief Medical Officer between 1983 and 1991. Although the end of his term of office was somewhat clouded by the BSE crisis, he is remembered more appreciatively for his ability to persuade the Thatcher government “to adopt a liberal approach” in tackling AIDS, focusing on education, rather than compulsory AIDS testing (says the Guardian). He is also widely credited with raising the profile of public health. However, it is for his 1998 report on health inequalities that he will be best remembered. Tasked by the incoming Labour government with examining the causes of a widening gap between the health of rich and poor, the report has shaped public health policy for a decade. Looking ahead, it is expected that the Marmot Review, which picks up where Acheson left off, will be published in February.