Leah’s Blog – Introducing Regional Health Commissioners

On Wednesday 25th March, the introduction of Regional Health Commissioners was announced by Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. This change is intended to shift health and social care decisions away from government, empowering local regions to promote positive health outcomes.

Before being introduced across England, this shift will be trialled in South Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. Here, the commissioners will work alongside Wes Streeting, their regional mayor, healthcare providers, community groups, and local councils to improve coordination, responsiveness, and the prioritisation of local needs.

This shift aligns with the government’s broader 10 Year Health Plan which aims to improve person-centred care in local neighbourhoods, reducing pressure on hospitals and addressing health inequalities head-on.

These improvements are essential, with The Office for National Statistics reporting severe disparities between the life expectancy of people born in the most and least deprived areas – being 10.4 years lower for males and 8.0 years lower for females comparatively between 2022 and 2024.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, predicts that “a Health Commissioner will help us pioneer a radical new way of delivering public services that’s better for our communities and better for the public purse.”

The Care Quality Commission also highlight the potential benefits of this regional focus, summarising that “better care and better outcomes are possible when services work together in local systems.”

The shift to community-led health and social care intends to keep local issues in mind so that meaningful progress can be made, preventing health inequalities across England. We hope that this is reflected through the actions of the Regional Health Commissioners and in future health and social care statistics across the Greater Manchester and South Yorkshire areas, so that we can see the positive benefits roll out through Regional Health Commissioners across the nation.