Colleagues across various services have worked hard behind the scenes to help launch a new partnership that aims to improve health and well-being in our communities.
The wide-ranging Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) will examine ways to strengthen and accelerate actions that will reduce health inequities.
The two-year programme has been developed by Public Health Scotland (PHS) and University College London’s Institute of Health Equity (IHE).
The local partnership was officially launched on 25 February at Saltcoats Town Hall and Councillor Marie Burns, Leader of North Ayrshire Council, welcomed attendees including Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the IHE, as keynote speaker.
Around 80 people attended the launch, including staff from all council and HSCP directorates and representatives from public, private and third sector organisations.
Colleagues who were involved in the planning of the event – or attended on the day – include those working in Education, North Ayrshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP), Connected Communities and Housing.
Other speakers on the day were our Chief Executive Craig Hatton and Paul Johnston, Chief Executive of Public Health Scotland.
A key focus of the launch event was to provide an overview of new local data and an opportunity to consider where the greatest priorities for action are in North Ayrshire.
The collaboration approach will see all three areas working with independent experts to receive practical guidance and support to introduce positive change at local level.
The Community Planning Partnership (CPP) and Integration Joint Board (IJB) will also be involved, and took part in the process to develop the original expression of interest.
The collaboration will offer guidance that is aligned with North Ayrshire Council’s priority of transitioning to a wellbeing economy, which includes helping residents to navigate the continuing Cost-of-Living Crisis and tackling child poverty.
Factors in the Council and partners wanting to join the programme include male and female life expectancy, and healthy life expectancy, all being lower than the national average.
North Ayrshire also has the third-highest rate of economic inactivity across Scotland – 29.9 per cent against a national average of 22.9 per cent – and the second-highest rate of long-term limiting illness across Scotland at 41 per cent.
North Ayrshire is one of three Scottish local authorities – the others being Aberdeen City and South Lanarkshire – that are collaborating with health experts on ways to make life better for residents.
Chief Executive Craig Hatton and Council Leader Marie Burns with North Ayrshire HSCP Director Caroline Cameron and speakers
“Further information will be issued soon to expand on what this programme means for North Ayrshire and how staff and partners can become involved. We want as many colleagues as possible to feel they can play a part in this programme.”Sam Anson Executive Director for Education
Sam Anson, Executive Director for Education, said: “This two-year partnership will help us expand on the great work that is already happening to improve outcomes for people in North Ayrshire, and it offers the opportunity for a real focus on how we can achieve more at pace with the buy in and support from a range of partners, including for example the business sector.
“The challenges we face in North Ayrshire are significant, with almost 41% of our population living in the two most deprived Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) deciles in Scotland and 29% of children living in poverty.
“We also have some of the highest levels of economic inactivity and – at 52 years – the lowest healthy life expectancy for women in Scotland. We know these factors are complex and interconnected, and this programme will help us to better understand how we can tackle them.
“We start this programme with optimism that we can do more to tackle these challenges together.
“As Professor Marmot has outlined, it is important that we remain positive that we can make meaningful progress, and there is strong evidence from elsewhere that this is possible with the right conditions.
“That is why it is so exciting for us to be at the centre of this innovative partnership, which we believe can deliver improvements to the lives of people in our most disadvantaged communities.
“It was clear from many of the discussions at the launch event that there is a real appetite to expand on existing initiatives and work together to make a real difference for people in North Ayrshire.
“I would like to thank all council and HSCP staff who either helped to arrange the launch event or who came along on the day to make a contribution and share their thoughts.”
Evidence shows there are links between North Ayrshire’s health, social and economic inequities, and that there are also significant differences between the six Localities.
Chief Executive Craig Hatton speaking at Saltcoats Town Hall
Part of the CHES work will focus on:
- the most effective areas for intervention to make meaningful progress in closing inequities in healthy life expectancy, which is the average number of years people can expect to live in good health and
- how national and local organisations can work more effectively to close the gap between policy intent and impact in these areas.
The programme uses the eight ‘Marmot principles’ to deliver better health outcomes by improving the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age. Further information can be found online.
Professor Marmot and the IHE have worked with more than 50 local areas in England and have a proven track record of significantly reducing inequalities in each of them.
For instance, since becoming a Marmot City in 2013, Coventry has seen an increase of six months in life expectancy.