Improving health and wellbeing and reducing health inequalities

1
Improving health and wellbeing and reducing
health inequalities

• Working together
• Kirkcaldy Levenmouth CHP Committee

2
Reducing health inequalities in Fife

• Fife Health and Wellbeing Alliance-
• community planning partnership with
  responsibility for ensuring progress around
  improving health of Fifers and narrowing the
  health inequality gap
• Fife Health and Wellbeing Plan 2011-14
• manages a 1M per annum funding programme
• delivers free training programme across
  partnership agencies
• measures impact of what we do on reducing health
  inequalities
• advises on national and local policy around
  health and wellbeing
• encourages partnership approaches and different
  ways of working to improve health and reduce
  health inequalities
• www.healthyfife.net

3
Health inequalities a shared understanding

• Health inequalities are the differences in health
  and wellbeing that are the result of inequality
  in individual, social and economic circumstances
• income employment education
  housing
• The more disadvantaged a persons life situation,
  the worse his or her health is likely to be
• focus on early years
• provide targeted services in ways that reach
  those who need them most
• Individuals and communities differ in the way
  disadvantage impacts on their health and
  wellbeing
• build on individual and community assets
• social and community networks and support
  physical and built environments participation
  and engagement employment security
  volunteering.

4
Reducing health inequalities in Fife

• Work across 3 themes not just on one
• supporting healthier lifestyles for individuals
  and families
• creating and sustaining healthier places and
  communities
• changing the way organisations work

5
Fife Health Wellbeing Plan10 outcomes

• education, training and employment
• financial situation
• vulnerable pregnant women, children, young people
  
• suitable housing and support
• personal skills, strengths, knowledge
• increased opportunities and support for older
  people
• local health and wellbeing initiatives /
  supportive social networks / participation in
  community activity
• safe outdoor and community spaces
• flexible services and support
• workforce confidence and competence

6
Ways of working that are most likely to reduce
health inequalities

• structural changes to the environment,
  legislation and regulatory controls, fiscal
  policies, reducing price barriers
• improving accessibility of public services
• prioritising disadvantaged groups
• offering intensive support
• early years interventions

7
Ways of working that are least likely to reduce
health inequalities

• information based campaigns and written materials
• media campaigns/ messages designed for the whole
  population
• whole school health education approaches
• campaigns reliant on people taking the initiative
  to opt in
• approaches that involve significant cost or other
  barrier, including housing or regeneration
  programmes that raise housing costs

8
Changes that may affect partnership working to
reduce health inequalities

• public sector cuts
• welfare changes - employability and welfare
  reform seen as everyones business
• health and social care integration
• decentralisation and focus on local areas
• local community planning
• health and wellbeing
  profiles 7 areas as well as CHP
• Increased focus on the things that create
  health-
• peoples connections/relationships and supports
• place and communities