Urgent action is needed to address widening health inequalities gap, says NHS Providers

Responding to data from the Office for National Statistics on the health state life expectancies by national deprivation deciles, England: 2018 to 2020, the director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers, Miriam Deakin said:

“The publication of this data is further evidence of the impact of entrenched and unjustifiable inequalities in health outcomes for those who live in the most deprived communities.

“While the data does not show the full impact of the pandemic, it serves to highlight the unequal impact COVID-19 had in the first wave in 2020, and the serious consequences of the pandemic for marginalised groups.

“The current cost of living crisis and the widening health inequalities gap underline the importance of urgent, concerted action on the wider determinants of health, alongside work to ensure health services are equitable and fair.

“This is a real priority for trusts and integrated care systems (ICSs), but they are clear that meaningful change can only be achieved through collaboration to address all the factors which contribute to people’s health, including poverty. We need to see action across government, including through the forthcoming health disparities white paper.”