“You cannot solve health,economic nd social injustice rom Westminster. We need to see a radical nsformation in e way that the untry is run.”

THE aftermath of the pandemic should be used as a “catalyst for change” to invest in devolution to combat the glaring health inequalities that have held back Yorkshire communities for generations, the mayor of the Sheffield City Region has said.

Dan Jarvis made the call as medical and health experts joined charities in warning of the widening health inequalities facing the most vulnerable as they confront major challenges during the pandemic.

Mr Jarvis, a leading proponent of One Yorkshire devolution, told The Yorkshire

Post: “The coronavirus crisis has brought to the fore many of the structural health inequalities that we have been dealing with for generations.

“The Government wasn’t doing enough before the crisis.

“If levelling up is about anything, it’s about levelling up life expectancy.

“Coronavirus has been horrendous, I’ve dealt with people who have lost family members, who have had businesses gone under. But what I am determined to ensure is that some good comes out of it and that we use coronavirus as a catalyst for change.

“You cannot solve health, economic and social injustice from Westminster.

“We need to see a radical

transformation in the way that the country is run.

“Devolution provides huge opportunities to make better decisions and to make better use of resources.”

Mr Jarvis called for longterm investment in Yorkshire’s assets, including Sheffield Hallam University’s £14m Advanced Well-being Research Centre, a new unit dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the population through innovations that help people become more active.

He said: “This is a centre of excellence and they are doing some incredibly important academic research looking at some of the challenges that we face in a public health context.”

Mr Jarvis, who is also Barnsley Central’s Labour MP, said long-term investment was also needed in the growth of the Northern Forest, increasing tree cover in an area stretching from Liverpool to Hull .

A letter signed by over 120 cross-party members of Parliament and council leaders last year claimed that by investing £500m in the Northern Forest, the economy could benefit by as much as £2.5bn. “The Northern Forest is an initiative of international significance and I’m helping to lead the way and playing my part in growing it,” Mr Jarvis said.

“I’m now calling on the Prime Minister to back this project, bestowing a legacy we can all be proud of.”

While he welcomed the Government’s £250m emergency active travel fund released earlier this summer, he stressed travel must be a priority in Yorkshire as lockdown restrictions continue to ease.

“I don’t think the population at large will judge politicians kindly if they fail to seize this important moment for change, and, despite the horrendous time this has been, let’s try and draw from it the opportunity in better investing in the health and well-being of our population,” he added.

“That is obviously the right thing to do and obviously good for communities – and there is a wide economic benefit to having a healthier and happier population.

“Investment in people’s health will save money and will reduce the burden and pressures on an already stretched NHS over the longer term.

“Let’s make sure we use this as a catalyst for change to actually invest in the health and well-being of our population in the future.”