The Greater Manchester Health Commission welcomes the news that the debate on health inequalities has been reignited with the publication of a National Audit Office report on the issue.
The report says that life expectancy in rich and poor areas is widening. Life expectancy in England is now 77.9 years for men and 82 years for women but in poor areas this falls to 75.8 and 80.4 years respectively. This means that from 1995-97 to 2006-08 the life expectancy gap grew by 7% for men and 14% for women.
Greater Manchester has some of the worst life expectancy and health inequalities in the country. And the Greater Manchester Health Commission is now providing the leadership – with some progress already made on improving life expectancy in the city region – to tackle these challenges.
Greater Manchester Health Commission Chair, Councillor Cliff Morris, said: “The national problem of health inequalities is particularly acute in Greater Manchester and we are determined get to grips with the problem.
“We’re committed to improving the lives of the two million people in Greater Manchester, and the current health problems that exist across the city region are simply unacceptable. The things that impact on both how long someone lives and the quality of a person’s health include issues such as obesity, alcohol, tobacco and wider factors including opportunities to work. These are precisely the points being picked up by the Greater Manchester Health Commission, and we welcome the fact that this key issue is being raised again.”
