The London Health Commission produced an extensive evidence base alongside its headline Better Health for London report. This page collects the supporting documents, background analyses and reference material that informed the Commission’s recommendations, so that researchers, students and policymakers can trace the evidence behind the conclusions. The Better Health for London report was the flagship output, but it rested on a much wider body of work.
The core reports
- Better Health for London — the main report, setting out ten aspirations for the capital’s health and the recommendations to achieve them. Read the overview on our dedicated page.
- Better Health for London: Interactive Summary — an accessible summary of the headline findings and ambitions.
- Ambitions for London — the framing document describing what success would look like for a healthier capital.
- Global city comparisons — international benchmarking of London’s health against comparable world cities.
- Londoners’ attitudes to health and health services — survey evidence on public expectations and experience.
Why the supporting documents still matter
Policy reports are only as strong as the evidence beneath them. The Commission’s supporting documents were cited widely by universities, government bodies and the NHS in London precisely because they made the underlying data and analysis transparent. For anyone studying the capital’s public health trajectory — health inequalities, prevention, the determinants of ill-health — this material remains a primary source rather than a secondary commentary.
From evidence to early detection
A recurring thread across the documents is the value of catching disease early. The analyses repeatedly returned to the same point: London loses healthy years not because conditions are untreatable, but because they are detected late. That conclusion underpins the modern interest in community diagnostics and accessible health screening in London, which aims to identify cardiovascular risk, diabetes and respiratory disease before they escalate.
Building diagnostic capacity
The practical lesson for today’s commissioners is that earlier detection needs infrastructure. Bringing testing into pharmacies, community hubs and workplaces depends on a steady supply of reliable, serviceable instruments — blood-pressure monitors, glucometers, ECG and spirometry devices, and point-of-care analysers. Organisations equipping such programmes can review the range of diagnostic equipment available to support population-level screening.
Using this material
These documents are provided for reference and study. Where original files are no longer hosted, the summaries and analysis on this site preserve the substance of the Commission’s findings. Citations should reference the original London Health Commission publications where possible.
FAQ
What was the Better Health for London report?
The London Health Commission’s flagship 2014 report, setting out ten aspirations and a programme of recommendations to make London a healthier city.
What supporting documents accompanied it?
An interactive summary, the Ambitions for London framing paper, global city comparisons, and survey evidence on Londoners’ attitudes to health.
Where can I read the main findings?
See our Better Health for London overview page.
Related: Better Health for London, our resources and articles, the latest news, and the community forum. For screening programmes, see diagnostic equipment.
Reference material on public-health policy; not medical advice.