Health and Wellbeing

Making equality a reality

Janet Thornton, TrusteeAction with Communities in Rural England

(ACRE)

• Overview of the current situation

• Health data• Public policy • Voluntary sector action

• Challenges to creating a greater equality

Session will cover

Rural Health: current situation

• Overall life expectancy is higher than urban

• Mortality rates lower as is potential years lost to premature death

• Many challenges• e.g. distance to health services• and higher costs

Public health policy

• Recent changes to health – key principles• Devolution and more power to

professionals• Higher quality • Better integration of services• Tackling health inequalities

• Defra’s rural proofing role• Ensure health policies work

Challenges for rural health

• Distance decay• Higher costs• Accessibility versus quality• Rural poverty• Recruitment and retention• One size doesn’t fit all

Rural Evidence: Health Profiles

• Suite of national area-based health reports

• Detailed health picture with national, urban and rural comparisons

• County, Unitary and District• Measures of health & well-being:

holistic• Illness/disease & lifestyle

behaviours • Influencing factors – deprivation,

housing, access to health• Available from RCCs

Craven District• Health problems mainly typical of a rural District

i.e. fewer than urban • No part of Craven is within England’s 20% most

deprived areas• Challenges of accessibility e.g. average road

distance from nearest GP is 3.2km (urban 0.9km)• Higher emergency hospital admissions than rural

average but lower than urban and national average

Example: Health Profile

Role of voluntary & community sector in health

• Strong focus on prevention, promotion and health improvement

• Schemes developed for and with the community (parish planning)

• Advice & signposting• Befriending and good neighbours • Community transport• Mental health projects

Case Study 1 – Touchstones

• When a spouse or partner dies you lose a lifetime companion but also a set of skills and knowledge

• We support bereaved individuals to learn new skills and find practical support locally

• Run in partnership with Age UK with Big Lottery Silver Dreams Funding

• 200 beneficiaries over 18 months

RCC network & health:Yorkshire case studies

Case Study 2 - Grow your own community

• A pilot to support community building committees to expand their services to support their community

• New activities aimed at preventative social care and early intervention

• Funded by North Yorkshire County Council and 7 hubs set up over 18 months

• New services launched include community cafes, allotments, social activity groups and drop in centres

RCC network & health:Yorkshire case studies (2)