Good Places Better Health a new approach to

Good Places Better Health– a new approach to environment and health in Scotland Sheila Beck Principal Public Health Adviser, NHS Health Scotland Lorraine Tulloch Policy and Strategy Manager, Good Places Better Health

Scotland’s health inequality A boy born in the deprived inner city area of Calton, Glasgow, can expect to live to 54 years compared with a boy born in the nearby suburb of Lenzie, who can expect to live to 82. World Health Organisation 2008

Source: Dahlgren and Whitehead 1991

Scotland’s Chief Medical Officer, Sir Harry Burns “If Scotland is to continue to progress and to do so at accelerated pace, new approaches to health creation need to be considered. ” Annual Report of the Chief Medical Officer November 2010

What would a new approach to environment and health be? An Environment Not only • Free from physical, toxic, infectious and allergic hazard But also • Nurturing of positive health, wellbeing and resilience • Consistent with and promoting of healthy behaviour • Consistent with the development and maintenance of social capital • Consistent with greater equity in health

“Historically we have focused on creating environments free from significant hazards. Whilst this continues to be important we now recognise an additional need to create positive physical environments which nurture health and wellbeing. ” Good Places, Better Health Implementation Plan 2008

PROTOTYPE PHASE 2008 - 2011 What is needed to deliver places that nurture good health for children? Four health challenges facing children 0 – 8 yrs old in Scotland: Asthma Mental Health and Wellbeing Obesity Unintentional Injury

PROCESS

Prototype Products • Four GPBH Evidence Assessments - Obesity - Unintentional injuries - Asthma - Mental Health & Wellbeing • Cross cutting reports • Healthy Places Report • GPBH Learning: methodologies and approach

Framing the problem

Identifying appropriate actions

Fuel poverty and children’s health The Good Places, Better Health picture • Workshop to specifically discuss fuel poverty • Workshop to discuss asthma • Workshop to discuss children’s mental health and wellbeing – Evidence review and contribution analysis – Workshop with practitioners at Energy Action Conference in Scotland to test findings

What do children need from housing • Warm and dry • Space • Free from hazards (ETS, mould, hot liquids) • Safe, appealing and appropriate places to sleep

The search for super policies Health Equity SUPER POLICIES Sustainability • Achieving warm dry homes for everyone

We wish to see a Scotland where everyone lives in warm, dry, appropriately ventilated homes and fuel poverty is eliminated Activities consistent with this vision would include: • review the energy efficiency criteria of the Tolerable Standard and Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) with a view to ensuring they are an effective means of enabling energy efficiency improvements. Consideration should be given to applying stricter energy efficiency criteria within these standards • streamlining and simplifying the grants system for energy efficiency improvements • improving the method and means by which Registered Social Landlords take action to address the energy efficiency criterion of the SHQS • creating a level playing field by applying the Scottish Housing Quality Standard to private rented sector and privately owned housing

We wish to see a Scotland where everyone lives in warm, dry, appropriately ventilated homes and fuel poverty is eliminated (continued) Activities consistent with this vision would include: • identifying methods to improve the uptake rate of home insulation grants through potential incentives such as a Council Tax discount for those homes achieving an improvement in energy efficiency • recognising further opportunities to use the point of sale or exchange of lease or the construction of extensions as a trigger-point to require the communication and/or upgrading of the building’s energy rating • ensuring Home Reports include the practical details of how and where to get grant funding for energy efficiency improvements

Next stages • Discuss with colleagues across Government • Develop an action plan • Encourage use of the approach in local situations

GOOD PLACES, BETTER HEALTH – a new approach to environment and health Email: goodplacesbetterhealth@scotland. gsi. gov. uk Website: findings and recommendations: http: //www. scotland. gov. uk/Topics/Health/good-places-betterhealth/Recommendations Thank you for listening