Blackpool awarded £5m to tackle health inequality

The research funding, which has been awarded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), will explore health inequalities by speaking to people about their experiences.

The results will be used to shape the way services are delivered in future to help residents live healthier lives.

Blackpool has the lowest life expectancy in the country with men living on average to age 74 (compared to 79 for England as a whole), and women on average to age 79 (compared to 83 for England).

But the gap widens even further for those living in the most deprived areas, with life expectancy for men being just 67 years in Blackpool's poorest areas, and 73 years for women. (Office of National Statistics 2018-2020).

The funding will concentrate on four priority areas - the first three years of life; housing; education, employment and skills; and mental health.

Council leader Coun Lynn Williams said: "Blackpool is known for many fabulous things - its entrepreneurial spirit, its creativity, its world- famous illuminations and its beautiful beaches to name but a few.

"However, sadly, it is also known for having poor life expectancy and health inequalities and we want to change that."

There will be close collaboration on the project with the community and other partners such as Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, the voluntary sector and research specialists at Lancaster University.

Professor Enitan Carrol, clinical director at the NIHR Clinical Research Network North West Coast, which supported the bid, said: "The Blackpool HDRC will serve as a blueprint for co-production with local authorities to create a fairer community for everyone.

"The vision is that Blackpool will become nationally and internationally recognised as a centre of co-produced research across local government and the academic sector, to support evidence-based community regeneration, using a systems approach.

"This funding will act as a catalyst for research to help tackle health inequalities in the town, region and beyond."

Conal Land, Community Co-researcher said: “Hearing that Blackpool has been successful in its bid for the HDRC funding is extremely exciting.

"It means that young people in the town will have the resource required to undertake research and advocate on behalf of their peers and community.

"It means that we can continue to co-produce research, alongside members of the community which have been under served by research before, to ensure that no one feels left behind.

"Such opportunities are vital in order to make real lasting change and to give people in our town a voice. We cannot wait to get started.”

Professor Jo Rycroft-Malone, Executive Dean of Health and Medicine at Lancaster University, added: "We very much look forward to collaborating with our Blackpool partners on this important regional initiative.

“By working in partnership with our communities to find and use research about health determinants we will accelerate the improvement of outcomes for people in the area.”

The project will ensure that it shares it’s work across the town, and specifically hold annual learning events to enable a wide range of people to be part of its ongoing development.