Of the 140 countries that recognise health as a human right in their constitution, only four countries discuss how to finance it.
This startling statistic from the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All sheds light on the lack of transparency and understanding surrounding the way we approach and invest in people’s health.
In April, CIPFA took the opportunity to champion prevention in alignment with this year’s World Health Day theme of ‘My health, my right’. Our latest project, Exploring Levels of Preventative Investment in Local Government in England, highlights the role of interdependent public services through a systems approach to health and wellbeing.
Supported by the Health Foundation, we set out to explore the extent to which local authorities’ spend on prevention, as it relates to the wider determinants of health, can be quantified.
The project invites local authorities to build a consensus around a definition of prevention that works on the ground from a financial perspective. We want to open the ledgers, map preventative activity and measure levels of spending.
Prevention over cure
But why should you care about preventative investment? Currently, health in England is in a dire state. After years of compounding pressures and increasing budget constraints, the right to prevention has fallen off the radar of public health policies. The focus of statutory funding leans towards acute services. This means that the drive to address urgent healthcare crises – vital as it is – often overshadows the crucial need for long-term preventative measures.
In the UK alone, 2.5 million people are out of work because of ill health. And the scales are tipping even further. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that health-related labour inactivity will rise as the number of people living with a chronic illness increases to one in five people by 2040. This puts pressure on the healthy, working-age population that is responsible for supporting and funding public services.
And if we consider the impact of rising health-related inactivity on public service caseloads, we find ourselves amid a climate of chaos, with demand far outstripping supply. The sorry state of our health cries out for prevention over cure to improve lives and reduce inequalities over the long term.
To make this a reality and safeguard both the health of our communities and the sustainability of public services, CIPFA has previously called for a twin-track approach that prioritises simultaneous investment in both acute services and preventative activity. This approach would address immediate health needs, while defending long-term strategies that protect the wider determinants of health.
Why local government?
As placemakers, local authorities at all levels play a role in shaping the services that affect people’s health. If we know where local government allocates resources that contribute towards the building blocks of health, and how much councils are investing in these preventative activities, we can lay the groundwork for a more resilient and equitable society.
In particular, understanding current levels of preventative spend in local government in England will contribute towards:
- Better evidence-based decision-making
- Transparency and accountability around how resources are invested
- Improved communication and reporting for local residents
- Future research on the effectiveness and efficiency of prevention
We are driving forward the first essential step on the road to rebalancing public health spending by collaborating with local government. Join us as we rally behind the timely yet timeless World Health Day theme of ‘my health, my right’, and prioritise prevention today.
For details, visit bit.ly/cipfaInsights
