Medway has enlisted a world-renowned health specialist as part of our continuing multi-agency efforts to address inequalities and improve health outcomes for all our residents.
Data analysis shows that there is a 10-year difference in life expectancy just four miles apart in Medway; the average life expectancy for men who live in Cuxton is 83.5 years, whilst just four miles away in Chatham it is 10 years shorter at 73.4 years.
Professor Sir Michael Marmot is well known for his work on health equity, having carried out the Government’s Strategic Review of Health Inequalities in England, leading to the 'Fair Society, Healthy Lives' report. Sir Michael has been the Advisor on Social Determinants of Health to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General and is the recipient of the WHO Global Hero Award.
Becoming a Marmot Place is a commitment to lifelong improvements in health equity and social justice. A Marmot Place recognises that health and health inequalities are mostly shaped by the social determinants of health: the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age, and takes action to improve health and reduce health inequalities.
Medway is one of the first places in the South East to commit to starting the journey to collaboratively address health inequalities, setting out a plan to ensure measures are long-lasting and have a desired impact.
Medway held a Marmot Place launch event in its historic Rochester town centre on Tuesday, 22 April. Medway Council brought together more than 100 representatives from organisations specialising in health, education, housing and the voluntary community, as well as clinicians from across the sector.
Guest speaker was University College London’s Professor Sir Michael Marmot himself, who listened to Medway’s vision of ultimately improving health outcomes for all its residents living across Medway, and helping them live longer, healthier lives.
Medway began its journey to becoming a Marmot Place in April 2024, with the recent event marking an official launch of Medway’s commitment to tackling the wider determinants of health and reducing inequality across the towns.
During the launch event, Medway Council revealed its ambitions around prevention and early intervention. Professionals across the sector heard about the work to develop a comprehensive plan, which addresses the factors that influence health and wellbeing, such as preventing homelessness.
Medway’s prevention plan is a high priority and will support Medway's journey to becoming a Marmot Place.
The Marmot approach is also about creating equitable communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, improving outcomes for children and families. It is also an approach which has started to gain traction internationally, and more than 50 local areas across the UK have set out their commitment to becoming a Marmot Place.
A Marmot Place commits to promoting eight principles, and Medway will select one of these as an initial focus before expanding the scheme to include the remaining recommendations:
These are to:
• give every child the best start in life
• enable all children, young people, and adults to maximise their capabilities and have control over their lives
• create fair employment and good work for all
• ensure a healthy standard of living for all
• create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities
• strengthen the role and impact of ill health prevention
• tackle racism, discrimination, and their outcomes
• pursue environmental sustainability and health equity together
Cllr Teresa Murray, Medway’s Portfolio Holder for Public Health, said: “I am delighted that so many professionals from a variety of sectors attended the launch event and expressed their commitment to improving health outcomes for Medway’s residents. By working together, as One Medway, we can achieve the greater good.
“It is incredibly worrying to think that two individuals living just four miles apart have a 10 year difference in life expectancy. We are never complacent about improving the health outcomes of everyone living within Medway and becoming a Marmot place renews and refreshes our determination to make sure everyone can realise their potential.
“Launching the scheme in Medway was a vision of our late Director of Public Health, James Williams, who did so much to improve lives in Medway and is greatly missed. It’s now coming up to the first anniversary of his loss, and we’re very proud one year on to be moving ahead with this scheme.”
Professor Sir Michael Marmot said: “Marmot Places have the mission to improve health and change lives for the better. Health inequalities are not inevitable, and it is possible to close the gap, but it takes a collective effort for this to happen. Much can happen at local level when community stakeholders share a commitment to working together to act on the Marmot Eight principles, as they do here in Medway, and I look forward to hearing more about the progress being made.”