Transcript Impact of Welfare Reform on Rural Housing

Health and Wellbeing
Making equality a reality
Janet Thornton, Trustee
Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE)
Session will cover
• Overview of the current situation
• Health data
• Public policy
• Voluntary sector action
• Challenges to creating a greater equality
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
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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
Example: Health Profile
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
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
RCC network & health:
Yorkshire case studies
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 (2)
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