A think tank has issued a warning about the spread of “bad health blackspots” throughout England and Wales, and more than one in twenty Wigan residents report having poor health.
According to a recent research by the Institute for Public Policy Research, greater rates of illness are linked to increased economic inactivity, high levels of poverty, and reduced output.
It suggests creating new zones for the development of health and prosperity (HAPI), which “would serve as an innovative response to growing poverty and ill-health.”
According to the data, 6.3% of Wigan residents reported having poor or really poor health at the time of the 2021 Census.
At the same time, 23.1% of the 205,090 individuals in the area’s workforce were not engaged in any economic activity.
This indicated that out of 330 local authorities, Wigan was placed 214th for both economic activity and health.
According to the IPPR, compared to those in the least impoverished authority, residents of the most destitute regions are about 1.5 times as likely to be economically inactive and twice as likely to be in bad health.
Additionally, there’s a greater chance of lower levels of family income, child poverty, material deprivation, unemployment, and productivity among residents of these places.
“People working within local government and health services are trapped by a lack of resources, support, and agency to serve their local population,” stated IPPR commissioner Prof. Donna Hall CBE. People’s health is hurting and they feel unheard.
“The new HAPI zones would ignite local ownership over the future of public health, put power in the hands of local leaders, and serve as an innovative response to growing poverty and ill-health.”
According to several statistics, Wigan’s healthy life expectancy was 61.4 years for women and 59.2 years for men between 2018 and 2020. There was a 15.5-year difference between the healthiest location for men, Rutland, and the healthiest area for women, Wokingham, at 9.8 years.
The IPPR’s research fellow Efua Poku-Amanfo stated: “There is a strong argument for government investment and intervention in the health sector. Not only is it the ethically correct thing to do, but it’s also the prudent financial move.
“The nation’s wealth and health are being held back by bad health blackspots, which are primarily located in the South of Wales, the North East and North West of England, and the stifling national economic growth.”
Head of research at Lancaster University’s Work Foundation Alice Martin said there was a documented connection between stable employment and excellent health.
“Job security plays a significant role in health outcomes; higher levels of anxiety, depression, and self-reported ill health are associated with insecure work,” the speaker stated.
It’s time to stop pressuring individuals to take “any job,” and instead the government should collaborate with local authorities to raise the standard of employment in the community and make sure job seekers are assisted in landing stable, long-term positions.
According to a government spokesman, “We are committed to reducing the gap between local areas by 2030 and increasing the healthy life expectancy by five years by 2035. This includes investing up to £14.1 billion to improve health services and help people live longer, healthier lives.”
“People in more deprived areas are nearly twice as likely to die from smoking-related conditions, so our plans for a smokefree generation will make a significant difference. Our Major Conditions Strategy will look at the prevention and management of conditions responsible for over 60% of ill health.”Up to 1.1 million more individuals will benefit from our Back to Work Plan as they search for and maintain employment that meets their requirements, including through integrated mental health services like NHS Talking Therapies.
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