How Doctors can Close the Gap: tackling the social determinants of health

Published On: 16th September 2026

By: Royal College of Physicians

This policy statement and the recommendations contained within it are a synthesis of the ideas and proposals that emerged from a series of policy dialogues organised by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) that focused on the Doctors’ role in reducing the gap in health between the richest and the poorest in our society.

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Research

Community Development

Published on: 1st October 2014

Community Development in Europe: towards a common framework and understanding

This report presents a Community Development framework, a shared understanding of community development across Europe, and case studies of community development in practice from 11 European countries, written by members of the European Community Development Network.

Academic Paper

Published on: 14th September 2021

The Dahlgren-Whitehead Model of Health Determinants: 30 years on and still chasing rainbows

Goran Dahlgren and Margaret Whitehead reflect in this paper on the developments over the last thirty years since the introduction of the Dahlgren and Whitehead model of the main determinants of health, sometimes known as ‘The Rainbow Model’, before looking to the future.

Policy and Influencing

Chronic disease Health Inequalities

Posted on: 3rd March 2026

Non‑Communicable Disease Prevention: a collaborative manifesto for the next assembly

A policy‑focused manifesto outlining the scale of non‑communicable diseases in Northern Ireland and setting out 1fourteen evidence‑based recommendations to prevent avoidable illness and reduce health inequalities. It calls for population‑level action on tobacco, alcohol, and unhealthy food to improve long‑term community health outcomes.