We focus on four complex health issues more prevalent in urban areas
With the Social Progress Imperative, we've developed the first neighbourhood level, health-focused social progress index of its kind.
With Wellcome Trust
We want to hear from you.
Urban health • COVID-19
Share
Policy and Influencing Director, Anna Garrod, talks about the role the new Health Secretary can play in tackling health inequity in cities and beyond.
Congratulations to the new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP. The new Minister spent his first day in the job on Monday visiting St Thomas’ Hospital, a short walk from the Houses of Parliament across Westminster Bridge.
The setting could not be a more fitting reminder of the monumental battle to tame this pandemic. On one side of the river, the most extensive Government policy response since the Second World War is taking place. On the other, the NHS is delivering round-the-clock, capacity-busting care.
Much has been written about the scale of the task ahead for the incoming Secretary of State: from COVID-19 vaccines to track and trace, the backlog of non-urgent NHS appointments, and the long-awaited reform of social care. That’s not to mention the Government’s ambitious manifesto commitments of 50,000 new nurses, 40 new hospitals, and the small matter of a major piece of health and care legislation to steer through Parliament. The to-do list is not inconsiderable and rightly requires Mr Javid to turn his mind to futureproofing our health and care system.
The new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care @SajidJavid visited @GSTTnhs today on his first official visit and met staff who are working on the #COVID19 pandemic response 👇 pic.twitter.com/m1iZ662wq2 — Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 28, 2021
The new Secretary of State for Health and Social Care @SajidJavid visited @GSTTnhs today on his first official visit and met staff who are working on the #COVID19 pandemic response 👇 pic.twitter.com/m1iZ662wq2
— Department of Health and Social Care (@DHSCgovuk) June 28, 2021
The greatest health crisis in living memory has demonstrated in no uncertain terms that our new Minister for Health and Social Care needs to focus his efforts far beyond his own department. The factors behind COVID-19 mortality rates lie beyond the reach of tackling waiting lists and addressing the workforce crisis in the NHS, as important as these endeavours are.
The facts remain that you are far more likely to test positive for, become seriously ill or die from COVID-19 if you live in crowded housing, have a precarious inflexible job, or experience financial insecurity. Likewise, the higher mortality rates for people from Black and other minority ethnic backgrounds are increasingly shown to be related to structural racism. The result of which means they are more likely to be dealing with financial insecurity and its knock-on effects. Our recent report on health and money found that people from Black communities are now more than twice as likely to anticipate difficulties paying their usual bills and expenses (34% of Black respondents vs. 14% national average).
Even clinical risk factors for COVID-19, such as obesity and living with long-term conditions, are associated with living in poverty. Our Easing Pressures report, published earlier this year with King’s College London, found that in our local boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark more than one in five people (23%) in the most deprived areas live with multiple long-term conditions, compared to only one in ten (11%) in the least deprived neighbourhoods.
In this way, for Sajid Javid all roads lead to one conclusion: this pandemic has shown that the greatest gains to our health will come from focusing change on where we live and work throughout our lives. This is something that our evidence at Impact on Urban Health tells us again and again.
COVID-19 has devastatingly demonstrated that health inequity is a matter of life and death, and a matter of fairness too: some groups in society have borne the greater health, social and financial burdens of this pandemic and there is overwhelming agreement that fixing this injustice can no longer be pushed aside.
However, despite the daunting scale of these issues, we know from our work that the solutions are often remarkably simple and practical. What has made them elusive so far is our insistence to still think in silos, whether in Government, local decision-making, or within the NHS. Another of our recent reports with the London School of Economics illustrates the power cross-sector policymakers have to build back more equitably over the next decade (and the huge risks if they do not).
“ The pandemic has demonstrated what’s possible when science, community and businesses come together to prioritise health. It is clearer now than ever that the systems and infrastructures we live in are designed and can be redesigned – that inequality is not an inevitable part of modern life.
The pandemic has demonstrated what’s possible when science, community and businesses come together to prioritise health. It is clearer now than ever that the systems and infrastructures we live in are designed and can be redesigned – that inequality is not an inevitable part of modern life.
With this in mind, Sajid Javid cannot ‘go it alone’ if he truly wants to improve the health of our nation. With the recommendations and evidence below, we encourage Sajid Javid to venture out and visit these key colleagues in Whitehall:
The pandemic has demonstrated what’s possible when science, community and businesses come together to prioritise health. It is clearer now than ever that the systems and infrastructures we live in are designed and can be redesigned – that inequality is not an inevitable part of modern life. We’re here to support Sajid Javid to ensure we build back better, putting health equity at the heart of decision-making in the crucial months ahead.
To find out more about how we can support policymakers with data, case studies and briefings contact our Policy and Influencing Director Anna Garrod.
Urban health
Policy and Influencing Director, Anna Garrod, explores the impact of the recent local elections on shaping place and policy that impacts our health.
Our response to the House of Commons' Education Select Committee
Kate Langford reflects on the impact, learnings and opportunities for our health effects of air pollution programme created by COVID-19.
Programme Director Sarah Hickey shares her reflections on COVID-19's impact on our children's health and food programme.