Coventry as a Marmot City
Coventry as a Marmot City
Coventry has been a Marmot City since 2013, committed to reducing health inequalities by addressing the social determinants of health. Through its long‑standing partnership with the UCL Institute of Health Equity, the city has embedded Marmot principles across public services - strengthening early childhood experiences, promoting fair employment, reducing poverty, and improving local environments. This collaboration has supported a place‑based, whole‑system approach to tackling inequality.
Since adopting the Marmot framework, progress has been made in areas such as school readiness, employment, crime reduction in priority neighbourhoods, and wider wellbeing. However, the combined impacts of the COVID‑19 pandemic and the cost‑of‑living crisis have slowed these improvements, reinforcing the need for sustained, coordinated action across early years, health, and community systems. Giving children the Best Start in Life remains one of the key strategic priorities within the citywide Marmot Strategy.
A system-wide approach to tackling inequality: access and inclusion
The Coventry Health Inequalities Strategic Plan (2022 to 2027) builds on this commitment by prioritising equity in maternity and neonatal outcomes, particularly for Black, Asian and Mixed ethnicity families and improving access and outcomes for Core20PLUS5 groups. The Integrated Care Board (ICB) also continues to focus on equitable access to physical and mental health support for children and young people, especially those living in deprivation or from minority ethnic communities. These ambitions align closely with Coventry’s Marmot principles and the One Coventry Plan (2022 to 2030), which emphasises:
- ensuring all communities share in economic growth through strong partnerships with employers and education providers
- protecting children and supporting families by implementing Families First, adopting Family Valued approaches, and strengthening safeguarding
- narrowing education gaps for vulnerable groups, particularly those disproportionately affected by pandemic‑related disruption
Together, these commitments reinforce Coventry’s determination to tackle inequality through a connected, multi‑agency, universal system approach, ensuring every child has the foundations for a healthy, safe, and thriving future.