The Institute for Health Equity’s new report A Fairer, Healthier Scotland: The Collaboration for Health Equity reinforces that health inequalities are largely driven by the conditions of daily life that shape health, including income, housing, work and education, rather than access to health services alone.
The Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland (CHES) is a partnership between Public Health Scotland, University College London’s Institute of Health Equity (directed by Professor Sir Michael Marmot) and three collaborating areas: Aberdeen City, North Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.
Each area utilised local evidence to develop their own priorities to reduce inequalities, with a shared emphasis on prevention and working in partnership.
COSLA’s Spokesperson for Health and Social Care Cllr Paul Kelly commented: “Through our unique position close to communities, Local Government already has a strong understanding of the wider social, economic and environment determinants which act as the building blocks of health.
“This report reaffirms that empowering local authorities to develop place-based solutions makes a positive difference to people, families and communities, preventing issues before they arise and reducing inequalities in outcomes.
“As a joint sponsor of Public Health Scotland, COSLA will explore how we can build on this successful approach, creating the conditions for more people to live longer, healthier and fulfilling lives.”
A Fairer, Healthier Scotland: The Collaboration for Health Equity is an independent assessment authored by University College London’s Institute of Health Equity outlining progress and opportunities arising from the Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland.
The first phase of the programme ran from 2024 to 2026 and aimed to better understand barriers to reducing health inequalities and to test practical approaches for improving health equity.
The Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland launches plans this week to bring about significant change to reduce health inequalities in three of Scotland’s local authority areas.
This collaboration brings together Public Health Scotland (PHS) and Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of University College London’s Institute of Health Equity (IHE) with councils and health boards in Aberdeen City, North Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.
Over the next two years, this partnership will help local areas and Community Planning Partners to strengthen their local plans to reduce health inequalities and improve wellbeing in their communities. It will support local partners to understand the actions which will have the greatest impact on health inequalities locally and help to overcome the barriers to implementing these.
The ultimate goal is to enable people to live longer, healthier lives by addressing the root causes of health inequalities and preventing illness before it starts. By creating conditions where communities can thrive, the initiative aims to create lasting positive change.
A key element of the collaboration is its role in bridging the gap between national policies and local implementation. The insights and learning from the collaboration will be shared across Scotland through a dedicated learning system, ensuring that communities nationwide can benefit from the knowledge gained.
To mark the beginning of the partnerships, each of the three local areas host launch events this week. These events will serve as a platform to engage with the community, share the vision of the collaboration, and kickstart this ambitious project to build a healthier, more equitable Scotland.
Paul Johnston, Chief Executive of PHS, said: “Our mission in Public Health Scotland is to see life expectancy increase and health inequalities reduced. The circumstances in which we are born, live and work have a huge impact on the length and quality of our lives. People born in the most deprived areas are dying, on average, a decade earlier than their wealthier neighbours.
“It’s possible to change this by taking action across the range of factors that impact on health and wellbeing. That is what this new partnership is all about. We’re determined to see an improvement in Scotland’s long-term health outcomes, and we can do this by uniting partners from across the system including the NHS, local government, community and voluntary sectors, and businesses.
“The Collaboration for Health Equity in Scotland will bring together national expertise, informed by the success of ‘Marmot Places’ across England and Wales, with local knowledge to agree priority actions and support meaningful change.
“We’re looking forward to working and learning together with a determined focus to see improvement in health, wellbeing and life expectancy across Scotland.”
Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Director of the IHE said: “Research in Scotland has demonstrated dramatic differences in health and life expectancy within and between areas in Scotland. Progress in improving health stalled after 2010, in Scotland as in other parts of the UK, and health inequalities increased.
“We have been working with places in England and Wales to implement change at local level to improve health and reduce health inequalities. We are inspired by the commitment of communities and local leaders to improve the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age.
“We are now delighted to launch programmes of work in three places in Scotland. Each place has vital contributions to make in improving the conditions of people’s lives thereby tackling health inequalities within their area.
“This local action will also inform national system leaders about the most effective ways to develop national approaches to tackling health inequalities in Scotland. Put simply, we aim to show that poverty is not destiny.”
