House of Commons · Westminster Hall
26 January 2022 · 12 other contributors · 12,380 words
Opened by Debbie Abrahams Lab Oldham East and Saddleworth
Responding minister: Maggie Throup
Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.
Debbie Abrahams raised concerns about health inequalities: office for health improvement and disparities — [derek twigg in the chair] in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.
Key points
Key requests to Government
The speaker asks the Minister for Health Inequalities to address the socioeconomic factors that have worsened health disparities, the impact of austerity policies, and how all Government Departments can be involved in reducing these inequalities as per Sir Michael Marmot's recommendations. She also questions why public health budgets were cut by 24% since 2015.
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.
Opened the debate
The speaker is concerned about the increasing mortality and morbidity associated with declining socioeconomic conditions in her constituency, highlighting a health inequality gap of more than 12 years. She notes that infant mortality rates are rising again after decades of decline. The minister is asked to comment on the reasons behind the worsening socio-economic factors driving health inequalities over the past two years and why the Gini coefficient has increased.
Mr Gwynne highlighted the worsening health inequalities in the UK, citing a report from the King's Fund indicating a significant life expectancy gap between males in deprived and prosperous areas. He expressed concern over the decline in life expectancy since 2011, linking this to political decisions made by the Conservative government. Mr Gwynne argued that addressing social determinants such as education and income is crucial for reducing health inequalities and criticised the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) for lacking a cross-Government strategy to tackle these issues effectively.
Inquired about clarity from the Minister regarding the remit of the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities and the Health Promotion Taskforce outside of the Department for Health and Social Care, particularly in light of ethnic minority communities experiencing a high number of covid-related deaths.
Jim Shannon highlighted disparities in health care access for individuals with mental health issues, homelessness, and addictions. He noted that 25% of the UK population suffers from poor mental health and that alcohol and drug-related mortality rates are five times higher in deprived areas compared to less deprived ones in Northern Ireland. He cited statistics showing homeless people have three times more severe respiratory health issues and an average age of death at 46 for men and 42 for women. He questioned whether the contact the Minister has with homelessness groups includes those that have detailed information on disparities in housing and homelessness, highlighting its deadly impact.
Asked about gender inequality in health, specifically regarding fracture liaison services and the funding shortfall affecting around 900,000 people annually who miss out on necessary medication.
Agreed that to address health inequalities comprehensively, social factors such as housing conditions, racism, and air pollution must be considered alongside socioeconomic factors, emphasizing the need for a cross-governmental approach.
Mary Glindon praised Public Health England's work on tobacco harm reduction, particularly its support for e-cigarettes as a healthier alternative to smoking. She called for the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to continue this evidence-based approach and urged the Department of Health and Social Care to expedite reviews and publications related to vaping and tobacco control.
The MP highlighted the stark health inequalities in England, particularly in Stockport, where life expectancy varies significantly between affluent and deprived areas. He cited research showing that poorer populations have worse health outcomes by 1,100% compared to wealthier ones. The MP stressed the need for significant investment in the NHS to address these disparities, noting a funding shortfall of £170 million at Stockport NHS trust. He called for genuine commitment from the Government towards universal healthcare.
Rebecca Long-Bailey highlighted health inequalities in Salford, noting a stark disparity in life expectancy between affluent and deprived areas. She questioned the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities' role in reducing these disparities and urged clarity on its strategy and remit.
Siobhain McDonagh expressed concerns about the planned relocation of healthcare services from Epsom and St Helier Hospitals to a wealthier area, highlighting health inequalities within south London. She criticised the decision for being inconsistent with the Government's commitment to levelling up, pointing out that there were more than twice as many people with poor or very bad health near St Helier compared to Belmont. McDonagh also highlighted disparities in life expectancy and healthcare access among different ethnic groups.
Ms Peacock highlighted the severe health inequalities in Barnsley, noting that the area ranks among the bottom 15% nationally for income deprivation and is well above average for diagnoses of chronic diseases such as depression, heart disease, and COPD. She raised concerns about the impact of industrial diseases on residents' health and asked the Minister to update guidance so that death certificates accurately record these conditions if someone dies of covid. She asked for a response or written communication regarding an issue in her area concerning covid death certificates and industrial disease.
Taiwo Owatemi urged the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities to focus on health inequalities related to HIV, particularly for individuals of African heritage. She raised concerns about late diagnoses and inadequate testing provision, which she argued is a systemic issue within public health services.
Mr Farron highlighted the significant health inequalities in rural communities, particularly focusing on social care issues. He noted that due to high house prices and a lack of affordable housing, many people are stranded in hospitals unable to access adequate care. Additionally, he pointed out long waiting times for mental health services, insufficient GP funding, and difficulties accessing cancer treatments due to distance from radiotherapy centres. Mr Farron also raised concerns about the potential closure of A&E at Lancaster Royal Infirmary.
Government Response
Maggie ThroupIt is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg. I congratulate the hon. Member for Bootle on bringing forward this extremely important debate. OHID aims to improve health outcomes by focusing on the people and places with the worst health disparities. The Office for Health Improvement and Disparities was launched in October 2021 with a mission to enhance life expectancy and break the link between background and health prospects. It works with various stakeholders, including local government and industry, to develop policies based on evidence. Health disparities across the UK are stark, as highlighted by the 11.8-year life expectancy deprivation gap for women and 12.5 years for men in Sefton. The Government will publish a landmark levelling-up White Paper setting out policy interventions to improve livelihoods and reduce disparities. We invest £500 million to transform Start4Life and family health services, tackle obesity with £300 million, and support drug and alcohol treatment with an additional £560 million. Local councils receive over £12 billion since the start of the pandemic to manage covid-19 pressures. OHID has regional teams working with integrated care systems at a local level, producing data resources vital for ICS work in improving population health. We aim to give integrated care boards responsibility and ability to tackle health inequalities as made clear in NHS England guidance. OHID will continue monitoring e-cigarettes, and the relevant Health Minister is willing to meet MPs to discuss constituency-specific issues.