Inclusive Growth Framework Fundamentals
Health and wellbeing
Summary
Health and wellbeing are about people living longer, healthier, and happier lives, regardless of their social circumstances, which has often placed a limit on their prospects for a healthy life.
Considerations
Health is more than the healthcare system: it is not just about NHS hospitals, doctors, or nurses. Health is about people’s lives. People’s health is determined by their social circumstances, such as their:
- communities – access to a good network of family and friends
- prospects – access to good jobs and education
- housing and environment – living in a good neighbourhood and with access to good quality green spaces
At present, people living in our most deprived wards die seven years younger than people in the least deprived wards. They also spend a greater portion of their shorter lives in poor health. These differences in health are entirely avoidable and preventable. Failure to address them represents a waste of human talent and potential, limiting our region’s growth and prospects.
Addressing these inequalities and disparities in health require a consideration of the built environment in which people live and work, the opportunities available to them such as access to nutritious food and active green spaces, and the ability for people to make an informed choice.
The Marmot Review reports – ‘Fair Society, Healthy Lives’ (2010) and ‘Health Equity in England: The Marmot Review 10 Years On’ (2020) set out things to consider in relation to health inequalities, including:
- giving every child the best start in life
- enabling all people to maximise their capabilities and have control over their lives
- ensuring a healthy standard of living for all
- creating fair employment and good work for all
- creating and developing healthy and sustainable places and communities
Outcome
Avoidable differences in health outcomes are reduced so that everyone can live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
Metrics
- Life expectancy, healthy life expectancy and inequality in life expectancy
- Personal wellbeing (evaluative, eudemonic, affective experience)
- Mortality from causes considered preventable
- Prevalence of smoking and COPD
- Social isolation amongst adult social care users
- Percentage of wards where Population Weighted Exposure to PM2.5 is greater than 10μg/m3
- % all trips under 2 miles via active travel modes
Inclusive Growth Framework
