Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the gap in life expectancy between people from affluent and low-income communities.

The causes of health inequalities are multi-faceted and highly complex. The Department’s aim is to take action to promote and support people to have healthier lifestyles and to tackle differences in access to, and outcomes from, our health and public health services.

Our commitment and approach to tackling health inequalities – and social injustice – is underpinned by the legal duty enshrined in the 2012 Health and Social Care Act, which is to work to reduce inequalities.

We have introduced transparent high level measures to reduce health inequalities in the Public Health Outcomes Framework and NHS Outcomes Framework. In March 2015, we published an additional list of selected NHS Outcomes Framework indicators for which health inequalities data has been made available. We have also recently published the NHS Mandate for 2018/19 and the Public Health England (PHE) Remit letter for 2018/19 which clearly set out those organisations’ responsibilities and work on reducing inequalities in health.

Tackling health inequalities is a core part of PHE’s Strategic Vision for 2020. Statistics, evidence and tools are being developed to support action by local authorities and the wider public health system to take effective action on health equity.

There is more to do to systematically address inequalities and NHS England aims to improve and measure the impact of their programmes and also better support local commissioners and providers in their work. The NHS England Board discussed health inequalities and life expectancy at a meeting in March 2018, and plans are being developed to take work forward. The board paper – Item 9 - on health inequalities is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/nhs-england-board-meeting-papers-29-march-2018/