How is the Mayor addressing London’s health inequalities?

The Mayor has a statutory duty to publish a health inequalities strategy for London.^[1]

The strategy must “contain the Mayor's proposals and policies for promoting the reduction of health inequalities between persons living in Greater London”.^[2]

The GLA Act defines health inequalities as inequalities in respect of life expectancy or general state of health which are wholly or partly a result of differences in general health determinants. The health determinants are listed as:

• standards of housing, transport services or public safety
• employment prospects, earning capacity and any other matters that affect levels of prosperity the degree of ease or difficulty with which persons have access to public services
• the use, or level of use, of tobacco, alcohol or other substances, and any other matters of personal behaviour or lifestyle, that are or may be harmful to health
• any other matters that are determinants of life expectancy or the state of health of persons generally, other than genetic or biological factors.^[3]

The strategy must “describe the role to be performed by any relevant body” to implement the strategy.^[4} Relevant bodies include boroughs, functional bodies, Integrated Care Boards, NHS trusts, and NHS foundation trusts, and the Secretary of State (with regard to their duty to protect public health).^[5]

Tomorrow, London Assembly Members will ask what the current health inequalities faced by Londoners are and how they are being addressed.  The guests are:

• Dr Tom Coffey OBE, Senior Health Policy Advisor to the Mayor (until 11.00am)
• Professor Kevin Fenton, Statutory Health Advisor to the Mayor
• Vicky Hobart, Public Health Director, Greater London Authority (GLA)
• Jazz Bhogal, Assistant Director of Health, Education and Youth, GLA
• Dr Leyla Hannbeck, Chief Executive Officer, Independent Pharmacies Association (from 11.00am)

Following the discussion, London Assembly Members will debate these motions.

The meeting will take place on Thursday 5 June 2025 from 10am in the Chamber at City Hall, Kamal Chunchie Way, E16 1ZE.

Media and members of the public are invited to attend.

The meeting can also be viewed LIVE or later via webcast or YouTube.

Follow us @LondonAssembly.

1. This requirement was introduced by the GLA Act 2007, which inserted sections 309E-309H into the GLA Act 1999
2. GLA Act 1999, section 309E(2)
3. GLA Act, section 309F
4. 2 GLA Act 1999, section 309E (4)(d)
5. The Secretary of State’s responsibilities are found in sections 2A and 2B of the National Health Service Act 2006.
6. Full agenda papers.
7. As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.

For media enquiries, please contact Alison Bell on 07887 832 918 or at [email protected]. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer.