David Ellis, Birmingham Socialist Party
Healthy life expectancy is the number of years someone can expect to live in good health. In England, this has fallen by around two years over the last decade and is continuing to fall. The UK is one of only five of the richest 21 countries to experience a decline in healthy life expectancy, despite being the fifth richest.
Inequality in healthy life expectancy has also been rising, particularly since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Data from the Office for National Statistics shows that those living in the most deprived areas of England can expect 20 fewer years of good health than those living in the most affluent areas along with living fewer years overall!
Much of this inequality is driven by poverty and poor housing. Around 1.1 million households in England are overcrowded, making the spread of infection more likely. An estimated 6.5 million people live with significant damp and mould, increasing cases of childhood asthma. And 6.1 million UK households already living in fuel poverty will see further energy price increases due to Trump’s war on Iran, meaning more people this winter will be choosing between eating food and heating their homes. These problems are compounded by poorer neighbourhoods having less access to green space and often suffering from higher levels of air pollution.
While the well-off can afford private healthcare, the poor are forced to face the full force of decades of NHS cuts. Despite recent modest improvements, 7.29 million people in England are currently waiting for elective (non-emergency) care. This often means many months of living in pain and discomfort while waiting for treatment. Labour health minister Wes Streeting’s withdrawal of more specialist training posts, despite chronic staff shortages, to punish resident doctors continuing their strike for fair pay, will only make this worse.
Factors like obesity also play a significant role in our country’s declining health. Capitalism’s drive for profit has led to the creation of modern food that is often calorie-dense and hyper-palatable, making it easier to overeat. On top of this, workers are increasingly turning to cheap, high-calorie, convenient food due to lowering wages and the increase in irregular and unstable work.
As capitalism works us into an early grave, only socialism offers a path to a healthy, high standard of living for all. A fully funded health service democratically run by its workers and patients would mean everyone gets the healthcare they need. A massive programme building council houses that are well insulated with access to quality green spaces would reduce overcrowding and improve living conditions. Furthermore, by cutting out the profit-stealing bosses, we can work less and earn more. Only then will workers be able to prioritise long-term health over the day-to-day struggle to survive.
