Strategy to improve health and wellbeing in Telford set to be launched
A strategy to improve the health and wellbeing of Telford and Wrekin residents is set to be approved by the borough council’s cabinet.
With life expectancy in Telford and Wrekin’s most deprived areas more than a decade shorter than in richest, the strategy aims to improve overall healthy life expectancy and mental health, with a focus on halting and then narrowing the increasing inequalities gap.
The health & wellbeing board approved the draft proposals in February, before the full nature and scale of the coronavirus pandemic was imagined.
The proposals have now been updated to reflect the council’s recovery agenda, and the protection of people's health from infectious diseases and other threats has been made a priority.
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Andy Burford, cabinet member for health and social care, said: “Your income, education, housing are key determinants of the status of your health and wellbeing – these factors drive what we refer to as health inequality.
“The health and wellbeing strategy recognises this and commits to tackling these factors in order to improve health and wellbeing.
Healthy homes
“That means focusing on providing healthy homes, improving the standard of living, giving children the best start in life, and providing positive work and education opportunities."
To help deliver the strategy, Telford & Wrekin Council and the Telford and Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group will work closely to enable people to enjoy healthier, happier and more fulfilling lives.
Mr Burford added: “Improving health and wellbeing needs to be everybody’s business.
“That means we’ll be working closely with partners to create a better, more integrated health service in Telford and Wrekin – but we cannot make progress without the commitment of our communities and residents themselves.
“Health and wellbeing is deeply rooted throughout our lives in the circumstances in which we live, so our communities need to be involved in improving health and wellbeing as well.
“There are many people who have the energy and passion to make a difference in the local community and we should be working in partnership with them and empowering them.”
