Liverpool City Region Becomes Marmot City Region With New Plan To Tackle Health Inequalities
Liverpool City Region has officially become a Marmot City Region as leaders commit to putting health at the heart of decision-making across the area.
Mayor Steve Rotheram, local authority leaders and Professor Sir Michael Marmot confirmed the milestone as part of a long-term ambition to improve health outcomes and reduce inequalities through prevention.
The move will see the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority embed Marmot principles across its devolved responsibilities, including transport, housing, skills, regeneration and economic development.
Mayor Steve Rotheram said the commitment would help tackle the root causes of poor health and create a fairer future for communities across the region.
Health To Be At The Heart Of Liverpool City Region Decisions
Becoming a Marmot City Region builds on existing work through All Together Fairer, a programme led by Cheshire and Merseyside’s Directors of Public Health and the NHS Director of Population Health.
The initiative was created following an independent review commissioned in 2021 by Professor Sir Michael Marmot and the Institute of Health Equity, which set out recommendations to reduce health inequalities across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Since then, partners have worked together to put those recommendations into action, focusing on the wider factors that influence people’s health, including education, employment, housing and access to services.
The new Marmot City Region status strengthens that approach by bringing greater alignment across Liverpool City Region and positioning the area within a nationally recognised framework for tackling health inequalities.
Liverpool City Region joins other Marmot Places across the country, with Liverpool becoming a Marmot City in 2025 and Cheshire and Merseyside recognised as a Marmot area since 2019.
Mayor Steve Rotheram On Building A Healthier Liverpool City Region
Mayor Steve Rotheram said:
“Where you grow up, the job you do or how much money you have in your pocket shouldn’t determine how long or how well you live. But for too many people, that’s still the reality.
“That’s why becoming a Marmot City Region matters. Good health is shaped by whether you can afford a warm, safe home, whether you can get to work easily, whether you’ve got access to good education, and the chance to build a decent future. Those are exactly the kinds of things we can influence through devolution.
“We’ve never accepted that inequality is inevitable, and devolution has given us more of the tools to do something about it. By putting health at the heart of the decisions we make, we can tackle the root causes of poor health, narrow the gap in life chances and build a fairer, healthier Liverpool City Region for everyone.”
Leaders Commit To Reducing Health Inequalities
Professor Matt Ashton, Co-Chair of the All Together Fairer Board and Director of Public Health for Liverpool, said the commitment showed the importance of councils, the NHS and partners working together.
He said:
“All Together Fairer has shown what can be achieved when councils, the NHS and partners come together behind a shared ambition to improve health and reduce inequalities. Liverpool City Region’s commitment builds on that work and demonstrates the whole-system leadership needed to create lasting change.
“By strengthening alignment across Cheshire and Merseyside, we can build on our collective strengths, share learning and deliver even greater impact for the communities we serve.”
Professor Sir Michael Marmot added that health inequalities could be reduced through sustained action and strong leadership.
He said:
“Health inequalities are not inevitable. They can be reduced through sustained action, strong leadership and a shared commitment to improving the conditions in which people live their lives.
“Today’s milestone demonstrates Liverpool City Region’s long-term commitment to turning that evidence into action. By acting on the social determinants of health, partners can help create healthier, fairer communities for generations to come.”
The Liverpool City Region’s new status as a Marmot City Region will see health considerations become a key part of future decisions, helping shape policies and projects designed to improve the lives of residents.
The commitment forms part of the wider All Together Fairer Programme, which brings together public, private and third sector organisations with the shared aim of building a fairer and healthier Cheshire and Merseyside.
