Mayor publishes Health Inequality Strategy

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has published a Health Inequality Strategy which aims to tackle inequalities and improve the health of everyone living in London.

Khan has condemned the stark disparity in the number of years that Londoners in different boroughs can expect to live in ill health as he published his Better health for all Londoners strategy.

A new health inequality map released with the Mayor’s strategy has illustrated the wide inequality within the capital. It shows that women suffer disproportionately will ill health in 30 of the 32 London boroughs, living in ill health for an average of 19.9 years, compared to 16.1 years for men.

Most starkly, women living in Tower Hamlets can expect to live for 30.1 years in poor health, whereas for men in Enfield, the number is just 11.7, a gap of 18.4 years.

Life expectancy for Londoners is now more than 80 years for men and over 84 years for women. The Mayor is focused on ensuring that all Londoners can live as much of their lives as possible in good health. His new strategy aims to reduce inequalities in the capital, improving the health of Londoners and helping them to live longer, healthier lives.

Health inequalities are avoidable and systematic, and are mostly the result of differences in people’s homes, education and childhood experiences, local environment, their jobs, access to public services and their habits.

There is a clear relationship between wealth and health, meaning that everyone but the most financially well off are likely to suffer from an avoidable illness or condition.

The Mayor’s strategy contains five strands, including: healthy children; healthy minds; healthy places; health communities; and healthy habits.

As well as ensuring the greater London authority (GLA) is doing everything in order to meet these five priorities, the Mayor is building partnerships across London to encourage them to implement measures that will contribute to the reduction of health inequalities.

The Mayor is also bringing together Public Health England, the NHS, London Councils, Association of Directors of Public Health, businesses, other healthcare providers and charities across the city, and is asking them how they can support his ambition to make London the world’s healthiest city.

Khan has already taken steps to reduce London’s health inequalities, including the most ambitious plan to tackle air quality in any city in the world and the launch of Thrive LDN, a London-wide movement to improve the mental health and well-being of Londoners.

He said: “Leading a healthy life should not be determined by where you live - it is unacceptable that a person’s wealth, background and postcode has such a major impact on their overall health. I want every single Londoner to be able to enjoy a healthy and happy life.

“London has the potential to become one of the world’s healthiest major cities. If we are to achieve this ambition, we must start by reducing some of the massive inequalities that exist in the capital.

“From improving air quality and reducing childhood obesity to promoting good mental health and decreasing social isolation, all of us have a part to play in improving the health of Londoners.”

Yvonne Doyle, regional director for London at Public Health England and health advisor to the Mayor, said: “There are wide variations in health and healthy life expectancy across the capital due to a diverse range of issues. This needs action from different agencies to change the current pattern of early mortality, build healthier communities and support the people who need most help. By publishing this strategy, the Mayor of London is showing he is taking the issue of health inequalities very seriously. It’s also great to see mental health given a prominent place in the strategy. We can achieve so much more by working together and I look forward to seeing improvements to the lives of every Londoner.”