Councils across Britain are looking to get their hands on the money that has been set aside for the NHS. The NHS boards are already being funded very less amounts of money and if this amount is also taken away by the councils, then that would end up affecting public health.

Despite the disadvantages that would be faced by the NHS, local councils have asked the government to include NHS funds in the funds available for municipal councils. The demand by councils has been made as they would be facing cuts amounting to 26% by the year 2014.

Another cause of concern is that public health directors are currently employed with primary care trusts, and would be reemployed with local governments, as primary trusts would be replaced by GP consortiums in 2013. Probably the lone person fighting for the rights of public health at the moment is Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, who has been asking for the protection of the health budget.

Mr. Lansley feels that public health fund should be safeguarded is because it often happens during tough times that it is targeted by the local councils. However, public health funds are still in grave danger as local councils have been aggressively lobbying against their reservation.