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Appendix 1 - Healthy Kingston Strategy
Appendix 1 - Healthy Kingston Strategy
There have been two main documents produced by the government, which specifically relate to health: 'Saving Lives - Our Healthier Nation' and 'The New NHS - Modern and Dependable'.
- Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation describes the government targets for health improvement whilst The New NHS - Modern And Dependable encourages partnership between the Health Authority and other local agencies and groups to produce a local Health Improvement Programme (HIMP) based on local health priorities.
- Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation also describes a number of government initiatives, which impact, on health.
The government also commissioned an 'Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health' known as the Acheson report. This report came up with 39 recommendations for national and local policies to improve the health of the worse off in society and to narrow the health gap. The recommendations are described in appendix 2. The government have recently produced a response to these recommendations: 'Reducing Health Inequalities: An Action Report'
Summarised below are the targets of Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation including the other government initiatives referred to in the white paper. This is followed by a summary of the local Health Improvement Programme targets. Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation It acknowledges the range of economic, social and environmental influences on health and promotes a positive view of health: more than just the absence of disease, but concerning quality of life. The strategy is aimed at people of all ages: in schools, workplaces, and communities, and focuses on 4 main areas of concern: ·
- heart disease and stroke
- accidents
- cancer
- mental health.
The white paper notes the key role of Local Authorities and indicates that the government intends to place a new duty on Local Authorities to promote the economic, social and environmental well being of their areas. The white paper also introduces Healthy Living Centres.
The government is providing money for these through the New Opportunities Fund distributing National Lottery funding. They are proposed to be local flagships targeting inclusion of excluded people and deprived areas, to provide services complementary to existing services, e.g: Nurseries, community education, art and health information, ethnic group outreach, health care, community cafés, fitness facilities, community nutrition schemes, food co-operatives, welfare rights and benefits counselling, various therapies.
Other government initiatives referred to in Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation, which impact on health. Education and Health It makes the link between educational achievement and health as well as the importance of education to increase self-esteem and equip children with skills to have healthier lifestyles. Government initiatives, in which RBK will be involved, include Excellence in Schools, Healthy Schools, Safer Travel to School, Cooking for Kids and The Sports Strategy Employment and health It mentions the better physical and mental health enjoyed by those people in work and government initiatives to tackle this, which include the New Deal and Welfare to work.
It also mentions workplace health risks and the healthy workplace initiative. Housing and health. It highlights the importance of good, safe, warm, dry and well-ventilated accommodation.
The government is introducing a new national licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation as well as the housing investment programme, housing corporation approved development programme, private sector housing disabled facilities grants and the new home energy efficiency scheme. RBK may be able to bid for money under these schemes.
The report also highlights homelessness as a significant cause of ill health. The government has pledged to place a new duty on Local Authorities to protect those who are homeless through no fault of their own and in priority need. So they are given reasonable preference in the allocation of permanent social housing.
Healthy neighbourhoods
It mentions the importance of social cohesion and various initiatives such as The New Deal for communities, the Single Regeneration Budget and Local Agenda 21. Health issues have been highlighted in a good practice Statement 'Sustainable Development: Towards Better Practice.' This covers the need for local shopping facilities, action to encourage healthier transport, promotion of more sustainable patterns of development for housing and action to prevent the loss of local playing fields.
Environment and health Government initiatives here include the National Air Quality Strategy, The New Deal for Transport, and A Better Quality Of Life: A Strategy for Sustainable Development.
Kingston and Richmond Health Improvement Programme
The 1999/2000 Health Improvement Programme has already been produced with the full involvement of RBK staff. It describes how the national aims, priorities and targets mentioned in 'Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation' as well as other local aims, will be tackled locally.
The aim of the HIMP is to prevent avoidable ill health and narrow the gap between least and most healthy people in Kingston and Richmond.
Its priorities are:
- Inequalities
- Heart disease
- Cancer
- Mental health
Like 'Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation' it encourages work with people of all ages in Communities, Schools and workplaces.
Future HIMPs will be combined with the Community Care plans, which were previously produced by the Community Services Directorate of RBK. Inequalities The Health Improvement Programmes priorities to tackle inequalities in health annually are:
- To document inequalities
- To continue to promote economic development
- To develop initiatives to offset disadvantage.