Inequalities

Background

The Tartan Rug was produced to help us identify where the need is greatest in the borough and where interventions could be targeted.

Through our borough strategy (2021 – 2030), we made promoting good health, independence and care across our communities one of the council’s six priorities for the next decade.  In September 2021, it was agreed by the People’s Board (which is comprised of the Health and Wellbeing Board and Community Safety Partnership)  that we establish an independent, multi-agency Inequalities Commission. This approach was spearheaded by the Leader of the Council, the NHS Accountable Officer / Local Authority Lead for People’s and the Director of Public Health.  The Commission reports to both the People’s Board and the NHS led St Helens Place Based Partnership.

The Role of the Commission

A commission can be defined as a group of people who have been formally chosen to discover information about a problem or examine the reasons why the problem exists.  The purpose of the Inequalities Commission is to give local people a voice, ask the questions which get to the heart of the issues, learn from experts and best practice and make recommendations to the system.

The aims for the Commission are identifying the key changes, interventions, and actions which have greatest impact on reducing inequalities; holding services and public bodies to account on tackling inequalities through constructive support and challenge; and integrating the understanding of marginalised communities with the knowledge of experts and local leaders to shape projects and services to build greater equality.

The Inequalities Commission has an independent chair who is supported by the Head of Integration, the Director of Public Health and an independent adviser, a retired Chief Executive who gives her time voluntarily to support this work.  The NHS St Helens Place Based team (part of the Cheshire and Merseyside ICB) have provided project support along with Public Health.

Based on the recommendations from Marmot and our engagement events, the eight priorities of the Commission are:

  1. Best start in life, including school readiness 

  2. Improving the quality of jobs and employment 

  3. Tackling poverty and low pay 

  4. Supporting people in distress and tackling isolation

  5. Tackling stigma and overcoming barriers

  6. Tackling inequalities between and within and between wards and localities. 

  7. Services being focused on self-esteem and independence  

  8. Inclusive growth and St Helens pound

The commission has recently been successful in a bid for support from the Connecting Health Communities programme which is a 24-month facilitation support package to enable cross-sector partnerships to address health inequalities. We are one of just four areas in the country to gain this status.

The local authority, based on the work of the Inequalities Commissions have also been successfully short-listed as one of six finalists in the category of the “A Whole-Council Approach to Tackling Health Inequalities” for Municipal Journal’s Achievement Awards.