Rabbi Julia Neuberger Reforms Health Care

Rabbi Julia Neuberger, ordained as Britain’s second woman rabbi two decades ago, was tins May appointed head of The King’s Fund, Britain’s leading health policy think tank, which was established more than 100 years ago by Edward VII.

As head of The King’s Fund, Neuberger plans to reduce health inequalities, reform links between the National Health Service and various social services, and increase the involvement of health service users in forming and changing health policy, according to a report in the British newspaper The Guardian. In addition, Neuberger hopes to lead the Fund out of the 1.2 million pounds deficit that it reported last year. Neuberger has been an activist on health issues for many years; most recently she served as chair for the Camden and Islington community NHS trust in North London. She says that “there are very substantial and challenging issues to be faced for health care in its widest sense, including social care and housing.”