September 23, 2014

expert encounter: Prof Sir Michael Marmot and Dr Angela Donkin, Institute of Health Equity

The gap in life expectancy between affluent and deprived areas in England has been growing year on year. In February 2010, Professor Sir Michael Marmot launched his government review on inequalities in health for England. ‘Fair Society, Health Life’ or The Marmot Review demonstrated that in order to reduce health inequalities, action is required on the social determinants such as education, housing, employment.

A year later, Sir Michael published a set of indicators that have been used to monitor health inequalities. Those indicators, which show national averages and regional/local variations, were updated the following year. This year’s indicator set, for the first time, is able to evaluate the effect of policies implemented by the coalition government on the social drivers of health inequalities (the social determinants of health).

The speakers came to discuss issues such as:

• As life expectancy continues to increase, are health inequalities increasing or decreasing?
• Are coalition policies sufficient to reduce health inequalities?
• Are children achieving a good level of development at age 5?
• Why new indicators have been added to evaluate the whether incomes are sufficient, health effects of work, fuel poverty and use of green space.

Speakers:

Prof Sir Michael Marmot, Director, Institute of Health Equity

Dr Angela Donkin, Deputy Director, Institute of Health Equity