By Councillor Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council
“The announcement that Liverpool City Region is becoming a Marmot City Region is a significant milestone for our area and a powerful statement about the kind of future we want to create.
“At its heart, the Marmot approach recognises something that many of us have known for a long time: health is shaped by far more than healthcare alone. Where you live, the quality of your housing, access to education, employment opportunities, transport connections, and the strength of your local community all play a vital role in determining how long and how well you live.
“That is why I warmly welcome Mayor Steve Rotheram and the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s commitment to embedding the Marmot principles across its work. By putting health at the heart of decisions on transport, housing, skills, regeneration and economic development, we have an opportunity to tackle inequalities at their root and improve the lives of people across our entire city region.
“For Liverpool, this is a particularly proud moment because it builds on the journey we have already been taking as a Marmot City.
“Last year, Liverpool was officially awarded Marmot City status by Professor Sir Michael Marmot in recognition of our commitment to reducing health inequalities and improving wellbeing for every resident. That recognition reflected years of partnership working and a shared determination to address the social, economic and environmental factors that influence health outcomes.
“We know the challenges we face. Too many people in our city still experience poorer health, shorter lives and fewer opportunities than they should. In some communities, residents can expect to live significantly shorter lives and spend more years in ill health compared to those living in more affluent areas. These inequalities are not inevitable, and as a city we have been determined to do something about them.
“Through the Fairer, Healthier Liverpool Partnership, we have brought together organisations from across local government, the NHS, universities, housing, education, the voluntary sector and local communities to take collective action. Guided by the Marmot principles, the partnership is helping ensure that fairness, prevention and health equity are embedded into everything we do.
“This progress would not be possible without the outstanding leadership and dedication of our Directors of Public Health and public health teams in Liverpool and across the city region. Their expertise, advocacy and tireless work to address the wider determinants of health have been instrumental in driving forward the Marmot agenda, strengthening partnerships and ensuring that reducing health inequalities remains at the forefront of our collective efforts.
“Over the past year alone, we have seen remarkable progress.
“We have strengthened our Health in All Policies approach, ensuring that health considerations are built into decisions about planning, regeneration and housing. We have expanded work that supports families to access healthier food, improved opportunities for community involvement in decision-making, and continued to focus on tackling poverty and the wider determinants of health.
“One of the achievements I am most proud of has been the launch and success of the Fairer, Healthier Liverpool Accreditation. Developed collaboratively by local partners, the accreditation enables organisations to showcase their commitment to the Marmot principles and highlight the actions they are taking to improve the social, economic and environmental conditions that shape health and wellbeing. Earlier this year, we celebrated the first accredited organisations, from community and voluntary groups to advice services and NHS partners. Together, they are demonstrating how organisations across the city can play a vital role in reducing inequalities and creating a fairer, healthier Liverpool.
“Their work shows that improving health inequalities is not something any single organisation can do alone. It requires a collective effort, strong partnerships and a shared belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
“That is why Liverpool City Region becoming a Marmot City Region is such an important development.
“The new commitment strengthens the work already being delivered through the All Together Fairer programme across Cheshire and Merseyside and creates greater alignment between local authorities, health partners and communities. It means that the principles driving change in Liverpool can now be supported and amplified across the wider city region.
“Importantly, it also reflects the opportunities that devolution provides. Many of the factors that influence health outcomes sit within areas of responsibility now held at city region level. Whether it is creating better transport networks, supporting people into good-quality employment, improving housing, investing in skills or driving economic growth, these policies can all contribute to reducing health inequalities if designed with health and fairness in mind.
“As Mayor Steve Rotheram rightly said, where you grow up, the job you do or how much money you have in your pocket should not determine how long or how well you live. That principle sits at the heart of the Marmot agenda and it is one that Liverpool has championed for many years.
“The transition from Marmot City to Marmot City Region is not about starting again. It is about building on the strong foundations that have already been established. It is about bringing partners together at every level and ensuring that health equity becomes a shared responsibility across the whole system.
“Liverpool has already shown what can be achieved when public services, communities, businesses and the voluntary sector work together towards a common goal. Now, with the support and leadership of the wider city region, we have an even greater opportunity to create lasting change.
“Together, we can tackle the root causes of inequality, improve the conditions in which people live, work and grow, and ensure that everyone across Liverpool City Region has the chance to live a longer, healthier and happier life.
“That is a vision worth working for, and one that I am proud to support.”
