Press Release

Region feels the £3 billion cost of poor health

Wednesday, August 6 2008

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/