Health and Well-being Partnership

IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE - HEALTHY LIVING

WHERE WE ARE NOW

Current statistics tell us that the majority of Trafford’s residents enjoy better health and a longer life expectancy than those of Greater Manchester and the North West. Plus, we are currently on target to meet the government’s ‘Our Healthier Nation’ targets of reducing deaths from cancers by 20% and circulatory diseases by 40% by 2010. Our rate of teenage pregnancy is also below the national average.

However, there are some differences in the state of health between neighbourhoods in the borough. Generally more affluent areas of the borough have better than the national average levels of health but a small number of more disadvantaged areas fall below this level with some communities experiencing mortality rates significantly higher than the national average. Poor health also appears to be a contributing cause of people not working in these areas.

WHERE WE WANT TO BE IN 2021

By 2021 life expectancy in Trafford will be significantly above the national average and the gap between neighbourhoods with the worst and best health will be considerably reduced.

We will have:

• More active people living fit and healthy lives.
• Reduced premature deaths from cancers by at least 20% and deaths from circulatory diseases will have been reduced by at least 40%.
• Narrowed the gap in life expectancy between the most affluent and the most deprived neighbourhoods by 20%.
• Improved access to high quality health information and services for everyone including those with disabilities and people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities.

WHAT WE WILL DO TO GET THERE

We will:

• Provide strong community leadership on health issues and increase the Council, Primary Care Trust (PCT), private, voluntary sectors and local communities’ capacity to provide services.
• Direct and co-ordinate Council and PCT resources into areas of high need to improve local environments and provide local facilities and services.
• Play a central role, working with our partners in promoting decent housing for everyone and developing a high quality environment for residents to live in.
• Improve access to work and reduce economic deprivation in those neighbourhoods with highest levels of ill health.
• Enable everyone in the community to access information and services to make healthy lifestyle choices, including not smoking, not misusing drugs, drinking sensibly, taking more exercise and eating a healthy diet.
• Promote positive mental health for everyone and reduce the exclusion experienced by those with mental health problems.
• Provide education and services to children and young people and their families to enable them to lead healthy lives.
• Promote safe sex, the need for good sexual health, relationships and reduce teenage pregnancies.

PRIORITIES FOR 2006-09

• Implement our joint Public Health Strategy.
• Align our resources to those communities most in need and work with local people to enhance the quality and level of local services.
• Continue to work with social landlords and provide financial help to private owners in order to move towards meeting the Decent Homes Standards for social and private housing by 2010 and 2015 respectively.
• Provide effective support for people who want to stop smoking and promote a smoke-free environment for work and leisure, including supporting the introduction of smoke free legislation in 2007.
• Ensure that all age groups and sectors of the community are provided with and have easy access to advice, education and facilities for healthy eating.
• Improve access to sports and physical activities for everyone and increase the number of people taking regular exercise.
• Promote sensible alcohol use, discourage drug use and improve treatment services for drug and alcohol misusers.
• Provide everyone with access to information about good mental health and provide support for those suffering from low-level mental health problems.
• Improve mental health services for children and young people.
• Review our approach to reducing teenage conceptions and promoting good sexual health and relationships for young people.

HOW YOU WILL KNOW THAT WE ARE SUCCEEDING

We will know that we are making progress when:

• Life expectancy is improving across the Borough
• The gap in health and life expectancy between our neighbourhoods has been narrowed
• Infant mortality is reduced
• Participation in sports and physical activity is increased and more people take regular exercise
• Uptake of flu vaccinations is above national target levels
• The percentage of social housing which is below standard is minimal
• The percentage of privately owned homes which are non-decent is minimal
• There are fewer conceptions to female residents aged under 18

Health is an issue that everyone is concerned about and everyone has a role to play.

For more information about how you can help make Trafford a healthy place to
live, please contact: