Health and wellbeing strategy
The responsibility for delivering the strategy lies with the Health and Wellbeing Board.
The health and wellbeing strategy explains the priorities the Health and Wellbeing Board has set to address the needs identified in the joint strategic needs assessment (JSNA).
The aim of this five-year strategy is to improve the health and wellbeing of all Lewisham residents and reduce existing health inequalities by taking partnership action on prevention and priority social determinants of health for the borough.
The strategy identifies four priority areas for action over the next five years. These are:
Taking action to address the impact of poverty on health and wellbeing
Poverty restricts the ability to have the means necessary for a healthy life. It negatively impacts many of the social determinants of health such as housing, social participation, and access to transport. Managing life without enough money can also be a significant source of stress, negatively impacting both mental and physical health. Measures aimed at poverty proofing those on low incomes, promoting financial wellbeing and providing support for those in need, are fundamental to reducing health inequalities.
Taking learning from the Council’s Cost-of-Living programme and emerging poverty reduction approach; evidence from the Institute of Health Equity report for London Cost-of-Living; and existing partnership approaches, we’ve developed a number of actions in this priority area. This includes supporting residents to maximise income through skills development. For example, the use of Adult Learning Lewisham courses including support into work and good jobs.
Taking action to address the impact of housing on health and wellbeing
Quality, affordable housing is imperative for health. There are many hazards which if present in the home are harmful to health, including excess cold, mould, and overcrowding. For instance, a cold, damp home can exacerbate asthma and negatively affect mental health. Homes that are free from hazards, while also being affordable and secure, are vital for healthy individuals and communities. With the changing climate, the environments in which we live are also important for the future to reduce the risk of health harms from extreme heat and cold – particularly among the very young and older adults.
Lewisham Council has an existing Housing Strategy through which key initiatives such as the private rented property selective licensing scheme, the housing stock and conditions survey for Lewisham’s council housing and the Joint Working Protocol for Hospital Discharge have all been implemented. Lewisham also has an existing collaborative of housing providers in the borough, with some providers such as Phoenix Housing having strong links to local primary care networks. These assets will be key building blocks for the actions within this priority area of the strategy.
Taking action to embed prevention for children and young people in partnership with educational settings
Education provides the skills and knowledge necessary to attain secure fulfilling jobs and participate within society. Inequalities experienced during school years can have lifelong impacts, including on both income and health. Improving educational attainment in both school years and adulthood is key to reducing unemployment and providing opportunities for high quality jobs with better job satisfaction, autonomy, security and pay, all of which contribute to health and wellbeing.
Prevention initiatives for children and young people, such as immunisations and relationship and sexual education, are important both now and throughout their adult lives.
Taking action to progress key prevention programmes within the borough, with a focus on embedding prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease across the Lewisham system
Prevention is about keeping people healthy and avoiding the risk of ill health and early death. This can be through population-level interventions in the community, or actions on the social determinants of health. Prevention also includes detecting health problems early, so that early interventions or treatments are possible, to reduce the health harms. This tends to be in health and social care settings.
Health and wellbeing partners in Lewisham are committed to finding ways to maintain and, where possible, increase increase investment in prevention despite a challenge financial context. Lewisham Council is also seeing growing demand and complexity in adult social care needs and aims to continue to focus on a strengths-based, preventative approach that helps people to remain living at home independently for as long as possible.