06 August 2008
Region feels the £3 billion cost of poor health
Senior leaders in the North West have welcomed a report calling
on the NHS to focus more on promoting good health and wellbeing and
the prevention of ill-health.
Latest figures estimate that the £3 billion economic gap between
the North West and England as a whole is caused by worklessness.
With 9% (400,000) of the working age population on incapacity
benefit, largely for preventable or manageable conditions,
‘Healthier Horizons for the North West’ states that health
inequalities need to be addressed as a priority.
Steven Broomhead, chief executive of the Northwest Regional
Development Agency (NWDA) and Liz Meek, Regional Director of
Government Office North West, have both given their backing to the
report from the strategic health authority. Healthier
Horizons sets out the recommendations from front-line NHS staff for
making healthcare and health better. The overwhelming message
is that improving health and wellbeing will reap the biggest
benefits.
Healthier Horizons states that there are 3,500 preventable
deaths each year, caused by unhealthy life-styles. The report
sets out a vision for health and healthcare services for the North
West, for the next 10 years and beyond. It calls for a bolder
and more radical course for the NHS in the region, to target
the unacceptable health inequalities which result in many people
living in poor general health and with shorter life expectancies
than those in other areas of the country.
Steve Broomhead, chief executive at the NWDA said:
“The economic health of England’s Northwest is directly
influenced by the physical and mental wellbeing of a healthy and
productive workforce, comfortable in long term employment.
“In order to achieve a consistent and steady flow of workers, it
is essential we encourage people to take responsibility for their
own health and contribute to the social health of their
communities. By providing a co-ordinated response to health
and social conditions, especially in deprived areas, we will enable
all sections of the community to benefit from further economic
growth.”
Liz Meek, regional director of GONW said:
“We need to change attitudes to alcohol, smoking and obesity not
just for the effect they are having on the lives of people in the
North West, but also because such attitudes lie behind our poor
economic performance when compared to other English regions.
“This report sets out the size of the challenge. Here in
Government Office of the North West we continue to work closely
with the strategic health authority to tackle these root causes of
health inequality.”
Mike Farrar, chief executive of the SHA, NHS North West believes
that health inequality is the result of a number of factors, such
as income, education and employment, alongside environment and
lifestyle. He said:
“The NHS has an important role to play in improving heath.
There is a growing appetite in the region to tackle ill health and
its impact. Healthier Horizons sets down the challenge.”
For more information go to www.northwest.nhs.uk/healthierhorizons/
Ends
Note to editors: For more information, please contact the
communications team at NHS North West on 0161 625 7230.
1. NHS North West is the strategic health authority for the
North West region
2. Healthier Horizons for the North West is the region’s
response to the national review of NHS services, led by Lord Ara
Darzi, parliamentary under secretary of state for the Department of
Health
3. The report makes a direct appeal to the people of the
North West to become more active partners not only in their health
service but also in their own health