With the final ONS consultation on measuring well-being due to end in January 2012, we looked at the existing results and felt the need to ask – is there really anything that matters more than housing? If anyone says anything other than yes, then they would be emotively right, but the figures suggest they might be wrong. Here are some of the reasons why.
The recent release of data gathered by the ONS on measuring well-being outlines the main themes that people across the country said mattered most:
Health
Relationships; including family, friends and a sense of connectedness to a community
Work; in particular, having a job, sufficient income, a sense of financial security and job satisfaction
Environment; in particular access to good local green spaces
Education and training
Fairness and equality
How time is spent; a good work / life balance, time spent outdoors and engagement with cultural or creative activities
Quality and availability of local services; health care, education and transport
Belief and religion
Government; the importance of democracy, in particular accountable and trustworthy politicians
An overall importance on family, friends, health, financial security, equality and fairness
There are several areas where the Localism Bill meets the Health and Social Care Bill in largely unfamiliar territory that could play a significant role in defining the future of the built environment and its impact on improving population health outcomes.
Dealing with public health is typically one area of cross party consensus, despite the political differences in meeting the challenges. One of the new policies of the Conservative led government is the separation of public health policy from the NHS and in doing so it is promoting a much greater focus on preventing people from needing to access the wider NHS system.
The USA opens up debate about community health inequalities, or health report cards, to help local governments focus their efforts on the primary public health issues influencing their particular neighbourhoods.
A group of the leading experts on well-being discuss the findings on the state of well-being in the UK and how government and business leaders can use the data to transform our health, happiness and productivity.
Speakers:
Jim Harter PhD, Gallup chief scientist, Workplace Management and Wellbeing
Ben Leedle, chief executive officer, Healthways
Jim Clifton, chief executive officer, Gallup
Dr David Halpern, director, Cabinet Office Behavioural Insight Team
Paul Allin, director, Measuring National Well-being Programme, Office for National Statistics.
Jo Swinson MP is the Chair of The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Well-being Economics which is an officially recognised cross-party group of MPs and Lords in the UK Parliament.
It was formed in March 2009, to:
Provide a forum for discussion of wellbeing issues and public policy in Parliament;
Promote enhancement of wellbeing as an important government goal;
Encourage the adoption of wellbeing indicators as complimentary measures of progress to GDP;
Professor Sir Michael Marmot: ‘Healthy Lives, Healthy People’ Public Health White Paper consultation event hosted by Solihull NHS Trust in early February 2011.