Making Greenwich the place that’s healthy and fair
This theme is made up of three outcomes:
- residents live longer, more independent, healthier lives and inequalities narrow
- Greenwich is a welcoming place where people feel they belong
- more households are financially secure
What we want to achieve
This theme is built on the strength of the knowledge, resilience and support of our residents, communities and local organisations.
We will work with them to:
- remove barriers to a healthy life
- move towards prevention, earlier intervention and neighbourhood-based models of health and care that bring services closer to where people live, work and grow
Our vision for 2050 is that people in Greenwich live longer, healthier and happier lives, and close the gaps between communities.
To do that we need to look at physical and mental wellbeing, strong relationships and a sense of purpose. We also need services that work together around people rather than around organisational boundaries.
Health is built through access to a warm and secure home, a decent income, a good job, clean air, green space, healthy food within reach, and strong connections to others.
By strengthening these building blocks together, we can extend that opportunity to every resident. Fairness sits at the heart of this theme because we believe a good, healthy life should be within reach of everyone in Greenwich, whoever they are and wherever they live.
Healthier communities
Life expectancy still varies between neighbourhoods and we need to close that gap.
Every child in Greenwich deserves to breathe clean air. Poor air quality is a health and an inequality issue, affecting some of the most deprived residents and children hardest.
We will reduce air pollution across the borough, working closely with schools, the government and local businesses to create healthier communities for all.
Independence and choice
People are the experts in their own lives, and we aim to empower residents. To do this we'll:
- give them with the information, support and confidence to make their own decisions and maintain independence for as long as possible
- join up across the system and act before problems become crises
- help people get care and support closer to where they live so they can stay well, connected and independent
Poverty prevention
Poverty and financial insecurity is one of the biggest challenges facing our borough.
We plan to prevent and reduce poverty by making our support offer more preventative and providing better wraparound support. We aim to:
- reduce the impact of poverty and the chances a household's situation will worsen
- prevent people from falling into poverty
- address the wider risk factors and causes of poverty
We'll act quickly to stabilise households in crisis by:
- helping residents maximise their income in partnership with DWP and Jobcentre Plus
- building longer-term resilience by coordinating support around food, childcare, skills, housing and digital inclusion
- providing targeted help through the £1million Greenwich Supports Council Tax Hardship Fund for residents on the lowest incomes
Belonging
Our vision is for a borough where everyone feels seen, safe and at home, whatever their background, beliefs or story.
We are proud to be one of the most diverse boroughs in the country. Over 90 languages are spoken across the borough, and we have the largest number of Nepalese speakers of any London borough.
People need to feel safe and able to shape the place they live to feel belonging.
To do this we'll:
- work with our voluntary and community sector to help refugees and people seeking asylum settle here
- help support get the support they need to thrive as neighbours and colleagues and contribute to the community
- provide equal opportunity, eliminate discrimination and foster good relations across the borough by removing barriers faced by residents and staff with protected characteristics
- develop a Children's Impact Assessment so we understand the effect of our decisions on children and young people is understood before they're taken
- develop our faith-based community forums to strengthen dialogue with the faith communities