matthew ashton: improving health and wellbeing in our region

Improving Health and Wellbeing in Our Region

Matthew Ashton, Director of Public Health, Knowsley & Sefton

Liverpool City Region Health Summit12TH OCTOBER 2016

Why is good health a good thing?

• Healthy people are happier people and happier people are healthier

Happy People

• Healthy populations are more economically prosperous populations, and vice versa.

Contribute More

• Reduced expenditure on costly services and increased productivity

Cost Less

“Welfare of the people shall be the supreme law”Cicero

5th July 1948

Happiness

Harris-Roxas, 2014

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but

in ourselves”William Shakespeare

Fair Society, Healthy Lives, 2008• Give every child the best start in life• Maximise capabilities and control over their

own lives• Fair employment and good work for all• Healthy standard of living for all• Healthy and sustainable places and

communities• Strengthen the role and impact of ill-health

prevention

Transforming health & wellbeing, 2013• Best start in life• Helping people find good jobs and stay in work• Active and safer travel• Warmer & safer homes• Access to green and open spaces and the role

of leisure services• Strong communities, wellbeing and readiness• Public protection and regulatory services• Health and spatial planning

Lots already happening…

• Case for change – adults• Case for change – children & young people• NHS Sustainability and Transformation Plans

(STP)• Increased focus on prevention and early

intervention across the system• Learning from other places e.g. Manchester

Barriers?• Complex– Health and wellbeing– System and structures– Acting at scale and pace– Common language / narrative– Resources?

• Doing nothing is not an option!

LCR Health & Wellbeing Plan?

• Opportunity to improve health & wellbeing in LCR• LCR plan, not an organisational plan!• Ties all existing activity together• Allows for ambition and priorities to be stated• Owned by the system, collectively and individually• People / Citizens at the heart of everything we do!

The future?