World Health Organisation Expert Report on Advancing Health Equity and Well-being

In November 2018, CLES Associate Director Tom Lloyd Goodwin attended the Expert Meeting on Protecting Investments in Health and Maximizing New Opportunities to Advance Health Equity and Well-being in Venice, Italy. The report from this meeting has now been published.

Tom shared CLES’ experience in working with local communities in England to change their procurement processes. He shared expertise from CLES’ work with Manchester from 2007 and in Preston from 2012, and described the challenges facing authorities to juggle cost and efficiency pressures in procurement.

In Preston, local spending increased from 5% in 2013 to 18% in 2016/2017 (equating to a £70 million increase). Regional spending in the Preston area also increased from 39% to 80% (£200 million), with an extra 1600 jobs being created. As a result, Preston – previously ranked among the country’s most deprived areas (in the lowest 20%) – rose out to become “the most improved place to live” in the United Kingdom. In Manchester, local spending increased from 51% in 2009 to 74% in 2015/2016, resulting in 6000 jobs being created.

Access the full report here.

Find out more about CLES’ Local Wealth Building Work here.