There are many indicators for social inequality but perhaps the starkest are found in life expectancy figures
These have consistently highlighted a deep north-south divide.
The latest analysis from charity, Centre for Ageing Better, covering 2021 to 2023, shows that this divide remains entrenched. It is at its widest - a full decade for men and eight years for women - when comparing life expectancy in individual local authority areas. The lowest life expectancy for men and women is in Blackpool at 73.1 and 78.9 years. In contrast, men living in Hart in Hampshire have the highest life expectancy at 83.4 years. Women in Kensington and Chelsea in London can expect to live to 86.5 years.
The report also found that the ten local authorities with the highest life expectancies at birth for men and women are all in the south of England and the ten with the lowest are in the north and the Midlands.
Doctors are becoming increasingly concerned. A recent survey by the Royal College of Physicians of 882 doctors found that 89% were concerned about the impact of health inequalities on their patients, while 72% had seen more patients in the past three months with illnesses related to poor-quality housing, air pollution and access to transport. It also reported that 46% of respondents said at least half their workload involved illnesses linked to social factors. One said they were seeing more people “with poor nutritional status due to poverty”, eventually leading to “prolonged and impaired recovery from acute illnesses”.
The findings are a bleak reminder of what we have known about for a long time - the harsh reality of socio-economic inequality. This sits alongside poorer educational attainment, employment prospects, financial resilience and housing which are all contributing factors to significantly shorter lives for those in deprived communities.
The impact of the pandemic and continuing cost-of-living challenges are still acutely felt in many places. There are more people living in poorer health throughout their lives which contributes to shorter life expectancy. Poor physical and mental health bring immense personal and financial pressures for individuals and their families but there are also wider societal costs. The communities that are impacted by the poor physical and mental health of the people who live there fail to thrive and are unable to play their full part in contributing to the country’s economic growth.
Good health and wellbeing are integral to making sure there is equal opportunity for all. That’s why The Purpose Coalition is working with NHS Trusts, and independent health and social care providers to tackle health inequality. With a unique understanding of the specific challenges their communities face, our Purpose Coalition providers have developed a range of place-based partnerships that offer expertise and support.
Although the main focus has been on delivering high-quality care for people while alleviating capacity challenges in primary and secondary care to reduce waiting lists, there is also an emphasis on providing health and social care services to underserved communities by extending the reach of outpatient services to bring care closer to where people live, for example with mobile treatment and diagnostic units. Our Purpose Coalition partners are also playing their part in widening access to health and social care jobs and careers. Recruiting from non-traditional talent pipelines and employing people who face barriers in the labour market can not only improve health but also address staffing shortages.
Our health and social care partners have made significant progress in addressing health inequalities and driving opportunity. Fostering links between public and private sectors is key to delivering better health outcomes and, ultimately, improving life expectancy rates across the country. Recognising the full impact of health inequalities - and addressing the means by which we can reduce those inequalities - must be the priority so we can support healthier individuals and build communities that thrive.
