Leeds set for a healthier future through new collaborative endeavor
Leeds Launches Groundbreaking Programme to Address Health Inequalities
Leeds City Council and University College London's Institute of Health Equity (IHE) have teamed up to launch a new programme aimed at making Leeds a fairer and healthier place to live. This significant development, led by world-renowned academic, researcher, and campaigner, Sir Michael Marmot, has the potential to positively impact many lives.
The programme, known as the Marmot programme in Leeds, is not limited to addressing inequalities of access to healthcare but also focuses on the social determinants of health. Sir Michael clarified that the programme is concerned with the social determinants of health, not just inequalities of access to healthcare.
Since the pandemic, sizable differences in life expectancy have been observed between the richest and poorest neighbourhoods in Leeds. This programme aims to bring the fastest change to those most in need, including through the implementation of housing projects providing affordable, warm, and secure homes. Leeds City Council's Health and Wellbeing Strategy is central to this effort.
Key policy objectives of the programme include giving every child the best start in life, delivering fair employment for all, and creating healthy and sustainable communities with good quality housing. According to Councillor Salma Arif, Executive Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health, and Active Lifestyles at Leeds City Council, this collaboration will enable Leeds City Council to be better positioned to achieve its goals of reducing health inequality, building an inclusive economy, and creating safer, stronger communities.
The Marmot programme in Leeds aims to complement and build upon the existing local work to improve the health of people from all backgrounds, with a focus on disadvantaged communities. Sir Michael Marmot's ideas, as presented in the UK government-commissioned report Fair Society, Healthy Lives, have influenced public policy in various countries, including Holland, Norway, and Brazil.
Research indicates that Leeds, like other big cities, continues to experience health inequalities, which have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The two-year project is focused on tackling health inequalities and the role they play in causing illness and lowered life expectancy.
Leeds City Council is proud of its past efforts to ensure the city is a place where no one gets left behind, but acknowledges that there is still more work to be done. Councillor Arif expressed enthusiasm about the new partnership with Sir Michael and the Institute of Health Equity, stating that this collaboration will enable Leeds City Council to be better positioned to achieve its goals.
Sir Michael Marmot expressed his delight at working with Leeds and excitement about the next two years of the project. He stated that the impact of poor living conditions is greater for those who are poorer, particularly in regions like the North East, North West, Yorkshire, and beyond. The programme uses evidence gathered by IHE Director, Professor Sir Michael Marmot, to ensure that people's social circumstances provide them with the right building blocks for good health.
The Marmot programme in Leeds represents a significant step forward in the city's ongoing efforts to address health inequalities and create a fairer, healthier Leeds for all its residents.
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