England: Invest in early years to reduce inequalities

A new report has called for greater investment in early childhood development to tackle the persistent problem of health inequalities in England.

The scale of the problem is such that people in poorer parts of England have shorter lives and experience up to 17 more years in poor health.

Furthermore, a total of up to 2.5 million extra years of life would be enjoyed by those dying prematurely each year as a result of social and economic inequalities.

“What happens during these early years, starting in the womb, has lifelong effects on many aspects of health and well-being – from obesity, heart disease and mental health, to educational achievement and economic status,” the report says.

Fair employment and good working conditions are also highlighted as important factors which have a significant impact on health differences.

“Lack of control and lack of reward at work are critical determinants of a variety of stress-related disorders,” the report says.

The document represents the outcomes of a national review of health inequalities in England, the first of its kind.

The initiative is based on a series of global recommendations by the WHO Commission on the Social Determinants of Health.

England's national review was led by the international epidemiologist Sir Michael Marmot, who also chaired the WHO commission.

The recommendations for policy action in England were drawn up by a team of 10 Commissioners including Professor Ian Gilmore, President of the Royal College of Physicians, and Professor Ian Diamond, the Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council.

The full text of the report, plus an executive summary and individual chapters, are available on the UCL website here.

You can watch a conference dedicated to the main outcomes of the report on this website.