The Mayor of London has a duty to produce a Health Inequalities
Strategy that seriously tackles and aims to reduce those
inequalities according to the London Assembly Health
Committee, which supports the aims set out in the
Mayor’s draft plans but says clearer targets and timelines for
action are needed.
In a response to the Mayor’s consultation, the Committee calls
for the final Health Inequalities Strategy to:
- Specifically highlight the groups whose health needs are
currently not being addressed: Deaf people, disabled people,
Black Asian and Minority Ethnic groups, transgender people, LGBT+
people, offenders and ex-offenders, refugees and homeless people.
The Strategy should also set out how interventions will meet
their needs.
- Include a strategic objective around equitable access to
health services. A focus on prevention is welcome, but the final
Strategy also needs to address hospital and GP access issues,
particularly for the most vulnerable.
- Allow for meaningful engagement with communities, that can be
properly demonstrated and also supports a clear role for
community and voluntary sector organisations in promoting health
and wellbeing.
- Make commitments for action on tackling poverty in London,
which is key in determining good health.
AM, Chair of
the London Assembly Health Committee,
said:
“London is blighted by a number of major health inequalities
- and the Mayor of London has a statutory duty to promote the
reduction of health inequalities in London. The Health Committee
broadly supports the aims set out within the Mayor’s
consultation, but greater clarity and detail is needed.
The Mayor needs to strongly embed tackling health
inequalities within all his policies, be that transport, housing,
planning or the environment. He needs to take a firm hold on
the issue of access to services, especially for marginalised
groups, and make sure he has meaningfully consulted the right
people.
The final Strategy needs to have measurable targets with
time-specific commitments for action, so we can be
assured that the Mayor will turn warm words into concrete plans.
The health of Londoners must be prioritised, given the focus
promised by the Mayor.”
