Manchester Joint Health Unit Policies and Strategies

Background

Area based differences in health status are not simply a reflection of differences in health relating to social class. Physical as well as mental health are influenced by the stress associated with living in neighbourhoods where the environment is seen as threatening, where the quality of housing is poor and transport facilities lacking.

There are significant variations in health status between wards in the city as measured by the Standardised Mortality Ratio (SMR) for deaths from all causes in people aged under 75. The Partnership would like to see a closing of the between the wards with highest and lowest SMRs. This will form the basis of an outcome target for this theme, constructed using a robust methodology being developed by the Joint Health Unit.

Key outcomes

• To close by an agreed percentage the gap between the 10 wards with the worst health (as measured by SMRs), and the national average by 2006.

What will help us to achieve the outcomes?

• Neighbourhood renewal of deprived areas, including action on work and enterprise, crime, education and skills, health, housing and the physical environment.
• Tackling crime and promoting environments in which people feel safe to go to and which promotes community networks and activity.
• Improving the quality of primary care facilities and premises in disadvantaged areas.
• Assisting with the regeneration of disadvantaged areas through the location of public service facilities there, the promotion of local employment policies and local purchasing of goods and services.
• Improving housing conditions so that everyone can live in a decent home

Key local problems and barriers

• The sheer scale of deprivation in the city (i.e. 27 of the 32 wards in the top 10% most deprived in the country.
• Lack of previous involvement of local NHS organisations in the regeneration, neighbourhood renewal and crime and disorder agenda.
• High proportion of primary care services being delivered from poor quality premises

Indicative Projects

1. Enhance Employment Access Project linking acute trusts and local neighbourhoods (NRF Continuation Project from 2002/03)
2. Continue support to regeneration Schemes around their health related activity and utilise communities for Health funding to support regeneration priorities
3. Add value to NHS LIFT developments and ensure better involvement of local people, and non NHS services
4. Increase community involvement in health through Healthy Living Network Developments and local health forums 
5. Mapping of community resources to facilitate community support for older adults experiencing social exclusion in the five target wards
6. Contribution to the Strategic Regeneration Frameworks:
   • North Manchester SRF
   • East Manchester SRF
   • Central Manchester SRF
   • South Manchester SRF
   • Wythenshawe Manchester SRF

Performance measures

• Number of people from target wards getting jobs in local hospitals
• Number of council services integrated NHS LIFT developments
• Participants in Healthy Living Networks
• Number of networks developed for older adults
• Performance measures of other Thematic Delivery Plans, such as the Employment Partnership, Sustainable Neighbourhoods and Crime and Disorder