By Gareth Presch, CEO of the World Health Innovation Summit and Founder of the Global Social Prescribing Alliance
Today, [The Health Foundation released new analysis showing stark regional inequalities in premature death rates across England and Wales. The findings are deeply troubling but not surprising.
The data confirms what many of us working across health, wellbeing, and economic inclusion have long known: that your postcode continues to be one of the biggest predictors of your health. People living in the most deprived areas are nearly twice as likely to die prematurely (before age 75) than those in the wealthiest.
The report shows that socioeconomic factors: education, occupation, deprivation account for over 60% of this variation in premature mortality. This reinforces a point we’ve been making at the World Health Innovation Summit and the Global Social Prescribing Alliance: improving health outcomes is not just a matter for the NHS it’s a whole-of-society effort.
“Health is wealth and it’s time we treated it that way.”
Turning Data Into Action
The Health Foundation’s analysis points clearly to what’s required:
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Long-term investment in communities facing the brunt of industrial decline
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A strong and strategic focus on prevention and early intervention
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Expansion of public health services and access to social support
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Targeted policies addressing key risk factors like poor housing, education, smoking, and nutrition But around 40% of the difference in premature death rates remains unexplained, potentially linked to issues like environmental exposure, social connection, and access to services. This is where place-based innovation becomes essential.
Our Work in Cumbria: A Blueprint for Scalable Change
At the World Health Innovation Summit, we’ve spent the last several years developing and testing community-led models of care that directly respond to these complex challenges. In Cumbria, we’ve pioneered prevention-focused health and wellbeing strategies that not only tackle inequalities but also create jobs and drive inclusive economic growth.
By embedding social prescribing, integrating digital tools, and working closely with local partners, we’ve shown what’s possible when investment aligns with community needs and lived experience.
These approaches aren’t just about health they’re about empowering people, boosting productivity, and supporting the levelling up agenda.
From Rhetoric to Action
We must now move beyond analysis and commit to sustained, cross-sector investment. A fairer, healthier society is possible, but only if we make deliberate choices to build it.
At WHIS and the Global Social Prescribing Alliance, we stand ready to scale these solutions nationally and internationally. Our communities deserve nothing less.
Let’s seize this moment to invest in prevention, reduce inequality, and unlock the full potential of health as a driver of social and economic resilience.