| Health and Wellbeing for All |
Our sense of wellbeing and health is affected by every aspect of our lives:
where we live and work, the natural and built environment, our income,
education, the food we eat, our age, family background, social networks and
the services we use. Many aims in The Big Plan will affect people's health and
wellbeing. And, in the same way, much of the success of The Big Plan will
depend on how fit and healthy we are.
We have significant health and wellbeing challenges in the District.
We have worse general health than the national average.
Both men and women, on average, die younger than those in the rest of
England. In some parts of the district, men die eight years earlier than
men living in other parts. And there are major health inequalities between
people in different areas of district.
Much of our existing housing is of poor standard, particularly in inner-city
areas. These homes are often occupied by vulnerable households on low
incomes, with inevitable impacts on health and well being.
The district has the highest levels of fuel poverty within West Yorkshire.
Smoking is the biggest preventable cause of illness and early death in the
district. However, by 2010 obesity is likely to be the main, preventable
cause of illness and early death.
The misuse of alcohol has a major negative effect on both health and
crime.
Nearly 80% of adults in the district are not physically active enough to
benefit their health.
Every year 60-70 babies die in their first year. This is much higher than in
other places.
Bradford people are less likely than the UK average to eat healthily.
Over 86,000 people consider they have a long-term, limiting disability.
46,000 people provide voluntary, unpaid care to their families and
neighbours.
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| Our Ambitions for Health & Wellbeing |
In line with national policy 11, our ambition is to ensure that everyone in the
district has improved health, wellbeing and quality of life; can make a positive
contribution; has increased choice and control; and can maintain dignity and
respect. We will work to remove the inequalities in health and end social
exclusion and discrimination.
We want people to live at least as long and healthily as people in other parts of
England, no matter what their background or where they live. This will enable
people to make a positive contribution to local economic, social, and cultural
life. By 2020, people will be aware of, and will act on, the factors that result in
healthier, active and independent lifestyles.
We want all people over the age of 50 to be able to maintain their
independence, dignity and respect. They should feel valued and be able to
lead healthy, active and productive lives, confident that support will be
available for them when and where they need it. These ambitions also apply
to other vulnerable people whose independence can be compromised by illness or disability.
In the future, we want people to have the maximum control to make informed
choices about the support they receive and so they remain healthy and well for
as long as possible.
We will recognise the diversity of our people and district, as well as the
individual needs within different groups and communities, including disabled
people, older people, carers, and people from different ethnic groups.
11 These ambitions are informed by the Government's outcome framework
for adult social care, as set out in the White Paper
"Our Health, Our Care, Our Say", and in the related
Department of Health performance framework.
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| Recent Achievements |
We are reducing deaths from heart disease and stroke faster than the
average for England. We are also reducing deaths from cancer.
The difference in life expectancy between men in the district and the
rest of England is reducing.
In the last three years we have helped over 10,000 people quit
smoking. Fewer pregnant women smoke, which results in healthier
babies and reduces the number of babies who die in their first year of
life.
Seven Extra Care Housing Schemes for older people have been built
across the district since 2000.
In 2006/7 13,000 people were supported to live at home - including
8,500 older people, 1,400 adults with learning disabilities, 1,500 adults
with mental health problems, and 1,600 adults with physical disabilities.
The quality of life of over 200 households was improved by delivering
adaptations, such as stair-lifts through Disabled Facilities Grants in
2006/07.
Adult participation in sport and active recreation is above the Yorkshire
and England averages (Sport England survey 2006) and the indications
are that it is continuing to rise.
69 south Asian elders with dementia have been supported by the
award-winning Meri Yaadain programme.
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