Devolving health powers and investment to local areas is key to tackling a “burning platform” of health and economic inequalities between Yorkshire and other parts of the UK, according to a powerful white paper published today.
The white paper argues that meaningful devolution that allows local leaders to lead is the best way to tackle health inequalities and economic inactivity that currently cost the UK £180bn a year.
Data highlighted in the Empowering Local Places for Health and Prosperity white paper – shows health and economic inequalities across Yorkshire and Humber – which has the third lowest life expectancy in England – have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The UK loses £13.2bn a year in productivity as a result of health inequalities in the North of England.
And, putting forward Yorkshire as the “perfect test bed for piloting new approaches” the white paper - produced by Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber, Yorkshire Universities and the NHS Confederation – today sets out 10 key recommendations to narrow the healthy life expectancy gap while also growing a more inclusive economy.
Chief among those recommendations is that central government should devolve more health powers to local places so that solutions can be found that meet the needs of local people and communities.
The white paper concludes mayoral combined authorities are ideally placed to use their convening and commissioning powers to bring together broad-based partnerships - comprising businesses, universities, sports bodies and community-based organisations, as well as local government and the NHS, in efforts to tackle specific health and economic issues in local places.
It also issues a rallying call not just to national, regional and local leaders but businesses, combined authorities, integrated care systems and other anchor institutions who are urged to use genuine devolution to build on existing public-private sector partnerships “ensuring businesses have a clear role, not just in developing a strong regional economy, but also in providing healthy work environments”.
Richard Stubbs, CEO of Health Innovation Yorkshire & Humber and one of the white paper authors, said: “The link between healthy people and a strong economy is now well understood, yet despite efforts by partners in our region and government in recent years, health and economic inequalities across Yorkshire and Humber continue to widen. We must look urgently to new ways of working to ensure our people, our economy and our health service cannot just survive but thrive.
“Our aim through this white paper is to shape a new model for addressing health and economic inequalities that delivers better outcomes, not just in Yorkshire but nationally.
“We’ve got many of the ingredients for success here already. What we need is more of the powers and flexible investment to respond to what local communities really need and strengthen partnerships – especially with business, a sector that can contribute massively to better health as well as a stronger economy.”
The white paper highlights that Yorkshire’s diverse geography, economy and population and strong partnerships between public bodies, the health sector, universities, businesses, and others make it the “perfect test bed for piloting new approaches and innovations” that could be replicated and scaled up elsewhere in the country.
Launched a week before the 2024 Convention of the North takes place in West Yorkshire, the white paper was developed after gathering evidence from more than 40 individuals covering wide ranging perspectives across Yorkshire and beyond.
It also identifies the important role of universities and businesses in supporting health and economic prosperity as part of broad-based local partnerships.
White paper co-author, Matthew Taylor, CEO of the NHS Confederation commented:“There is growing evidence that local action delivers better outcomes, through the power of greater local autonomy, alignment of principles and reforms, and a better understanding of health as an economic and social agent. We have called on the government to let local leaders lead, which was one of the driving forces of why ICSs were established in the first place."
“This white paper bolsters that evidence and highlights how through partnership working the NHS can fully realise it’s social and economic potential.”
As a region home to 37,000 students studying medicine or health-related subjects, Yorkshire’s universities are well-placed to meet ambitious targets set out in the NHS’s Long-Term Workforce Plan to double the number of medical school places in England and increasing adult nursing training places by 92%.
With NHS vacancies – particularly nursing jobs – at an all-time high, one of the white paper’s top recommendations is for health service leaders and the government to work more closely with universities to remove barriers to student recruitment in health-related subjects.
Professor Karen Bryan OBE, Chair of Yorkshire Universities, said: “Action to deliver on the NHS Workforce Plan ambitions has been slow to materialise, which is concerning given the scale of the workforce crisis the NHS is facing. I’m pleased that this white paper recognises the crucial role of universities in meeting the targets in the Workforce Plan, including boosting student recruitment, providing capital investment to improve training capacity, extending and diversifying placements and practice-learning, and tackling health student and early-career attrition.
“It also reinforces the importance of collaborative initiatives such our Yorkshire Policy Engagement and Research Network (Y-PERN), which unites our academics with policymakers and communities to ensure they are armed with evidence about what the economy and their communities really need to thrive.”
On the role of business in supporting better population health, Karen Taylor, Director at Deloitte’s Centre for Health Solutions, which drives independent and objective business research, said: “COVID-19 made it clear that employers have a responsibility to the health and wellbeing of employees. I’m pleased to see this white paper recognising the important role that businesses of all sizes have in supporting good health as well as generating wealth.
“Larger firms can have even greater impact by not just adopting best practice themselves but also driving change through their supply chains and professional networks and measuring action to support better health and wellbeing through their ESG frameworks.”
The white paper published today builds on the influential 2020 YHealth for Growth publication, which informed a report by the House of Lords’ Public Services Committee on the government’s levelling up agenda and has prompted closer joint working between regional partners.
To find out more visit: https://www.yhealth4growth.info/
