Local MP - NHS funding needs to tackle health inequalities in poorer towns like Oldham

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams

Oldham East and Saddleworth MP Debbie Abrahams has said a major new health report backs her claims that poorer areas, like Oldham, would benefit from a greater health inequalities ‘weighting’ in the formula which determines how NHS funding is allocated to different regions.

The report, by the Health Foundation, outlines wider health inequalities in England, and found that a 60-year-old woman in the poorest areas of England has a level of ‘diagnosed illness’ equivalent to that of a 76-year-old woman in the wealthiest areas.

While a 60-year-old man in the poorest areas of England will on average have a level of diagnosed illness equivalent to that of a 70-year-old man in the wealthiest areas. 

The MP, who is a former public health consultant and a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health, said: “Put simply, this report says, people living in the most deprived parts of England are diagnosed with serious illness earlier and die sooner than their peers in more affluent areas.

“So, on average those living in the most deprived areas of Oldham can expect to live shorter lives in good health and shorter lives overall than those living in the least deprived areas, with the difference in life expectancy for males being 11 years, and the difference in life expectancy for females being 9.9 years.

“This is completely unacceptable in 2022, in the fifth wealthiest country in the world, and is why we must ensure our NHS funding is allocated to tackle these health inequalities, and to ‘level up’.

"But other public spending such as education spending should also be weighted so we can address the social and economic inequalities, which ultimately drive these health inequalities.

“This is all part of the ‘levelling up’ process the government keep talking about but to date is failing to tackle issues like health inequalities.

"I hope the new Conservative leader, whoever that may be, finally gets to grip with this overdue 2019 manifesto promise.”

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