Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chair, Dr Sarah Raistrick, Coventry and Warwickshire CCG

The Board received an oral update on the Marmot Partnership Group’s Call to Action from Sue Frossell, Consultant Public Health, to accompany her joint written report with Dr Sarah Raistrick, Deputy Chair, Coventry and Warwickshire CCG.  The Marmot Partnership Group’s ‘Call to Action’ campaign across Coventry and Warwickshire aimed to encourage businesses and organisations to make changes to improve health and reduce health inequalities.

The report noted that as a Marmot City since 2013, Coventry was the only one out of the initial seven cities to remain as a Marmot City, reflecting the on-going commitment to a long-term, partnership approach.  In recent years, many others have joined, such as Greater Manchester, Newcastle, Gateshead, Bristol and Somerset.  An academic evaluation of our Marmot City approach was published by University College London (UCL) in 2020.  Additionally, the Director of Public Health Annual Report called ‘Bridging the Health Gap' was published in 2019.

At the Coventry Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on 27th July 2020, it was agreed that the Marmot Partnership Group would take the strategic lead on supporting the system to address health inequalities relating to COVID19.  This had resulted in the development of the health inequalities Call to Action in recognition that reducing inequalities can only be achieved by the joint efforts of organisations and businesses across the city.

The Marmot Partnership presented a paper to the Health and Wellbeing Board on 25th Jan 2021 regarding the development of a system-wide ‘Call to Action’ campaign, initially focussing on the role of businesses in the reduction of health inequalities, but also asking Health and Wellbeing Board organisations to begin to consider how their individual organisation could act in two specific ways to enable a system-wide approach to reducing general health inequalities within communities:

i.  a robust review of HR equality polices and processes using a recognised tool and 

ii.  embedding a social value approach. 

The ‘Call to Action’ Campaign requested all organisations to take action to make a difference. The report included an infographic for businesses regarding how health inequalities were avoidable, differences in health outcomes due to the conditions in which we live, grow and work, examples of what could be changed, the impact on the workforce and communities and benefits to businesses.

To launch the campaign an online promotional event was held in June 2021 attended by Sir Michael Marmot and Sir Chris Ham championing the campaign and the need for businesses to do more.  Understandably, businesses had a raft of challenges to focus on, such as supply chain disruption, increasing costs and skills and recruitment difficulties. The approach was to both continue to work on this ‘Call to Action’ but also to seek out ways to become more effective and continue to:

•  Ask businesses to make a commitment to take one or two suggested actions, evolving as the project progresses.

•  Raise awareness of health inequalities and what that means to businesses, offering 1-2-1 consultation sessions where requested.

•  Work with Economic Development to provide links/referrals to businesses.

Other identified levers and ideas to energise the campaign included through Kickstart, Thrive, Business Advisors (including low carbon advisors) and other existing connections and relationships.  The Anchor Alliance Development Group had been briefed about the Call to Action.  As large employers, these institutions had the potential to have a big impact in tackling health inequalities as employers.

Legal and General were partnering with the Institute of Health Equity to explore how businesses could contribute to reducing health inequalities, establishing a place-based network to support taking action on health inequalities.  Coventry would be the first location to host a West Midlands Regional roundtable event (supported by UCL and Legal and General). The plan was for other parts of the country including Greater Manchester to then replicate this.

Further meetings were planned between Public Health, Economic Development and Employment and Skills to discuss how the Marmot Partnership’s Call to Action initiative could engage more effectively with businesses. Suggestions included supporting officers in health inequalities training and developing criteria for a business assessment and award system. Links would be strengthened between this area of work and the Anchor Alliance; the Coventry Pound, the NHS inequalities strategy and the One Coventry Plan, to maximise the impact on reducing health inequalities.  The Marmot Partnership was also renewing its action plan around its key priorities.

RESOLVED that the Health and Wellbeing Board:

1)  Endorse the continuing approach of the Call to Action to engage with businesses and organisations across Coventry and Warwickshire to raise awareness and support actions to tackle health inequalities

2)  Could offer suggestions and advice around strengthening the approach

3)  Consider how each member’s organisation could strengthen their own action