Growing healthy communities: the Health and Wellbeing Index

Author(s)

GRANT THORNTON UK LLP

Publisher(s):

Grant Thornton UK LLP

Publication year:

2015

This report highlights the extent to which economic, social and environmental determinants translate to good or bad health outcomes in their broadest sense. It also shows the scale and nature of inequality across the country and reiterates the need for a local, place-based approach to tackling health outcomes. The report is based on league tables that assess 33 key health determinants and outcomes at local authority district level. The analysis reveals that the top three determinants that most strongly correlate to health outcomes are child poverty, deprivation and unemployment. Crime ranks as only seventh strongest with childhood education, social cohesions and occupations all proven as having a bigger impact on overall health outcomes. Case studies from Barnet, Greenwich and Richmond and Kingston outline some of the lessons that can be learnt from these and where collaboration has been seen to address an area’s determinants to improve health outcomes. That nine of the ten fall within London, where the boundaries of health commissioning are coterminous with those of the local authority may imply more readily facilitated joint-working leading to improved outcomes. (Edited publisher abstract)