Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps is he taking to address regional differences in NHS healthcare.

The United Kingdom faces significant health inequalities, with life expectancy and healthy life expectancy varying widely both within and between communities. Through our 10-Year Health Plan, we are committed to tackling the social determinants of health, improving healthy life expectancy for everyone, and halving the gap between the richest and poorest regions.

The Department works closely with other Government departments, NHS England, and local government to support integrated care systems, including integrated care services, to address the wider determinants of health and to reduce health inequalities at a local level.

The National Health Service’s CORE20PLUS5 approach targets action to reduce health inequalities in the most deprived 20% of the population and improve outcomes for groups that experience the worst access, experience, and outcomes within the NHS. The approach focuses on improving the five clinical areas at most need of accelerated improvement, namely cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory, maternity, and mental health outcomes, in the poorest 20% of the population, along with other disadvantaged population groups identified at a local level.

In addition, we consider that the Carr-Hill formula, the UK’s formula for allocating core funding to general practices (GPs), is outdated, and evidence suggests that GPs serving in deprived parts of England receive on average 9.8% less funding per needs adjusted patient than those in less deprived communities, despite having greater health needs and significantly higher patient-to-GP ratios. This is why we are currently reviewing the formula to ensure that resources are targeted where they are most needed.