New briefing sets out key actions to eradicate health inequality in Scotland
/This article was featured in the SCDC Weekly - 21st Feb 2024.
Scotland’s health inequalities paint a stark picture. With healthy life expectancy stalling over the last decade, it’s now beginning to decrease.This means that on average the poorest men in Scotland can expect just 44.9 years in good health versus 71 years for the wealthiest.
But what’s to be done? A new CHEX briefing highlights the need for fairer redistribution, which sees the wealthier pay more taxes to fund measures that reduce inequality – from housing to employment to social security.
We also need to better resource community-led approaches, with the Scottish Government, in particular, increasing its funding of projects which use community development approaches. We know that these work and require funding which is a drop in the ocean compared to the ‘downstream’ healthcare effects of a lack of action.
All of this should be underpinned by proper participation and co-production in communities, and targeted capacity building for professionals and communities that can build skills, knowledge and confidence to deliver these preventative approaches.
Despite the significant challenges we face, it’s worth remembering that the overwhelming task of creating a just and sustainable society can be achieved through individual and collective actions and steps – we just need to be bold and take them.
Want to learn more? Join the conversation at the CHEX Conference on 5th March in Glasgow.
What you need to know this week.
The SCDC Weekly gives you everything you need to know around community development and beyond.
It’s free, concise and delivered directly to your inbox every Wednesday.