The NHS Confederation is part of the Health Equalities Alliance (HEA) a collation of voluntary sector organisations aimed at reducing health inequalities in the UK. The HEA aims to raise awareness of health inequalities in the UK and promote support implementation of the recommendations made in the Marmot Review.
Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England post 2010
In February 2010 Professor Sir Michael Marmot published his Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England post 2010. This report followed his work chairing the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health. Marmot advocated ‘proportionate universalism’, whereby actions to improve health and the social and economic determinants of health must be applied to all, but with greater intensity to those towards the bottom of the gradient. Furthermore, action is necessary across all determinants of health.
The report proposes six policy objectives:
- giving every child the best start in life: weight public spending more towards the early years, especially among the more disadvantaged, and provide a year of parental leave paid at minimum income for healthy living
- enable all...to maximise their capabilities and have control over their lives: especially through early elimination of inequalities in educational outcomes through a ‘whole child’ approach in schools and closer links between schools, families and communities; increase availability of lifelong learning
- create fair employment and good work for all: improve access to and availability of ‘good quality jobs’ and promote greater security and flexibility in work
- ensure a healthy standard of living for all: establish a ‘minimum income for healthy living (for good nutrition, exercise, medical care, housing, social interaction and transport); decrease tax rates for those on lower incomes as the current tax structure disadvantages the worst off; overhaul the benefit system to remove disincentives to work
- create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities: build people’s participation in their local communities (social capital); policies to improve community sustainability and environment can also help reduce health inequalities (e.g. ‘active transport’, green spaces, energy efficient housing)
- strengthen the role and impact of ill health prevention: four per cent of the NHS budget is currently spent on prevention activities.
The NHS Confederation submitted a letter during the consultation period for the review, expressing our wholehearted support for the approach taken by Professor Marmot. However we did call for greater attention to be paid towards the wider context of the economic downturn.
Marmot at the NHS Confederation annual conference
We were delighted that Professor Sir Michael Marmot was a keynote speaker at Local leadership, national service, the 2010 NHS Confederation annual conference and exhibition. Visit the conference website for more information, including a video of his speech.
In sickness and in health
NHS Confederation work at the 2007 party political conferences focused on publication of In sickness and in health, our report that looked at some of the issues the health service should address to reduce the gap.