A new British Academy publication, "If you could do one thing..." Nine local actions to reduce health inequalities (featured below), collates opinion pieces on health inequalities from leading social scientists. Each of the authors has written an article, drawing on the evidence base for their particular area of expertise, identifying one policy intervention  that they think local authorities could introduce to improve the health of the local population and reduce health inequalities.

The report seeks to help local policymakers improve the health of their communities by presenting evidence from the social sciences that can help reduce inequalities in health. With a foreword from Sir Michael Marmot, the report further explores what The Marmot Review confirmed: that socio-economic inequalities affect health outcomes and that there is a social gradient in health. In some senses this is a social sciences dialogue companion to The Marmot Review.

One of the chapters focuses specifically on the role of adult and further education, citing amongst others PASCAL associates, John Field and Tom Schuller.

A key assertion within this chapter by Tarani Chandola and Andrew Jenkins states:

'Research to date strongly supports the view that adult learning is associated with better health and wellbeing' (p.88)