20 March 1996
Following years of denial by the government and industry, the Secretary of State for Health acknowledged that the BSE disease had spread to humans.
July 1996
The UK National Screening Committee was established to advise on population screening technologies and programmes.
May 1997
Having promised a new drive to improve public health in their manifesto, the Labour Party appointed the first Minister of Public Health.
8 December 1997
The new Labour government set out its intentions for NHS reform and announced programmes to improve public health.
February 1998
The government focused on the need to narrow health inequalities and improve the health of local populations.
July 1998
During his comprehensive spending review speech, Gordon Brown announced a programme to improve support for children in the early stages of their life.
September 1998
'The path of least resistance' set out a number of recommendations to address rising antimicrobial resistance.
26 November 1998
The report of the Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health (chaired by Sir Donald Acheson) made recommendations on health, environmental and social factors.
December 1998
As part of the comprehensive spending review, the government set new targets to reduce NHS waiting lists and reduce health inequalities.
