Manchester miserable? It’s not just down to the weather
Carl Williams, managing partner for Grant Thornton in the North West, on Manchester’s prosperity divide.
GREATER Manchester has all the tools it needs to achieve a double win of creating a world class economy and improving the wellbeing of its residents.
We are proud to be a part of a city region which is admired as a hotbed for innovation, collaborative partnerships and enterprise, but despite the incredible progress we have seen over the last 20 years in transforming and regenerating our economy, not everyone is sharing the upside.
Reflecting this, our Grant Thornton Vibrant Economy Index revealed this week that life expectancy in Greater Manchester is almost two years under the national average of 81.4 years. Within the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester too there are worrying disparities in health outcomes between areas like Trafford and Oldham.
The £6bn health and social care devolution deal for Greater Manchester is a unique opportunity for us to create a blueprint for the way healthcare is delivered in the UK.
If we are to rise to this challenge though we need to find new ways of working, innovating, collaborating and investing. New organisations like Health Innovation Manchester (HInM) have an important role to play in delivering the necessary ecosystem for scientific and intellectual innovation in healthcare.
However this issue of such magnitude that it can’t be addressed by one organisation in isolation, in fact it’s down to all of us, as employers, parents and individuals.
As an organisation, Grant Thornton’s purpose is to stimulate ideas and actions to help create a vibrant economy. Our aim is to realise the shared potential of businesses, cities, people and communities across the UK.
This is why, in Greater Manchester next Thursday November 24, we are hosting a Live Lab to help us find answers to how we can mobilise the region to pioneer word class health.
It’s not too late to join our inclusive and interactive discussions and debates. #vibrantManchester To attend please contact wendy.a.billington@uk.gt.com
