In today’s special edition of the Big Issue (6-12 October), which features 10 pages about ‘Marmot Places’, the magazine’s founder Lord John Bird calls for a ‘Marmoting’ of government “to take ownership of the abolition of poverty” under the leadership of a cross-department Ministry of Poverty Prevention (MOPP).
The IHE has been calling for central government to put health equity and wellbeing at the heart of all policies by following the eight principles for reducing inequalities (colloquially referred to as the Eight Marmot Principles).
Government departments should work “collegiately and act as one, in unity, not separately” as is currently the case, Lord Bird explains. But he suggests there are “too many vested interests in keeping things as they are”, which perpetuates “a continuation of government departments cutting budgets simply because they themselves don’t get a share of the rewards that good delivery delivers”.
Lord Bird explains “in a 'Marmoting’ world…government departments and their budgets would be brought into strict alignment to dismantle the problems thrown up by separate and disordered delivery.”
Lord Bird cites, as examples of good practice, the work being done in the sixty plus places around the country that have adopted the Eight Marmot Principles. Their local government departments work together “to systematise and organise to dismantle poor health and poor wellbeing”.
The magazine cites numerous supportive quotes including the former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham and the Chief Executive of Public Health Scotland Paul Johnston.
Across the 10 pages there is a deep dive into some of the local action – there are now more than 60 Marmot Places – and an explanation about the value of the Health Equity Network (HEN), which now has nearly 7,000 active users.
HEN is a forum for people to find out and share what they are doing to promote health equity via dedicated groups, monthly webinars and, in person, at its annual conference (which takes place this Thursday, 9 October, in Liverpool).
To read Professor Sir Michael Marmot's article on the Big Issue website, follow the link below:
https://www.bigissue.com/news/social-justice/marmot-principles-health-inequalities-uk/