The current delivery model of health and care is not sustainable. Advances in medical technology and the successes of our health and care system mean that we can treat more conditions and prolong life. However, changes in how we live mean that more people are experiencing ill-health, they are getting sick with conditions like diabetes and hypertension at an earlier age, and many are living with more than one health condition (multi-morbidity).
Our longer term ambition is to increase healthy life expectancy for all in Grampian. This means we need to reduce the gap in healthy life expectancy between the most and least vulnerable groups in society. We know that social and economic factors, where and how we live, what we do, our health behaviours and the environment we live in play a big role in shaping our health.
NHS Grampian has committed to their role as an anchor institution by identifying this as a priority in the Plan for the Future. This commitment means that as a large employer, we want to help more local people to access employment, spend more of our money locally, boosting the local economy and use our building and land to maximise benefits for communities.
Social and economic factors have the biggest influence on our health because they play a big part in shaping our health behaviours. In Grampian, rates of cigarette smoking, overweight and obesity continue to be much higher in areas with the highest level of social deprivation. Unhealthy behaviours such as smoking, alcohol consumption, poor diet and low physical activity can increase the risk of preventable illnesses, including some cancers and lung, liver and heart disease. These can only be addresses through active, healthy and empowered communities with access to joined-up support, whether public, private or third sector.
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