Programme background

Pregnancy to 18 years old (up to age 25 for vulnerable groups).

Taking determined, evidence-based action to prevent children falling into ill health. Failure to act to prevent childhood health issues such as obesity, tooth decay, respiratory problems, poor mental health, child injuries, and low vaccination uptake in childhood and pregnancy, can lead to these issues continuing and compounding into adulthood.

Mid-life, 40-65: Covering the ‘arc’ from early/emerging adulthood, through to early old age.

Mid-life is a vital time in which activities to improve wellbeing can reduce the onset of ill health, both during this period and into old age. The key challenge for SPH&C is to plan healthy behaviour and prevention interventions which appeal to people who are often juggling many demands, and struggle to prioritise health-promoting behaviours.

Focusing on a broad age range, in particular the population aged 65 and over.

Suffolk has an ageing population, currently, 1 in 4 people are aged 65 and over. In the next 20 years, 1 in 3 people will be aged 65 and over. We will support and empower people in Suffolk to remain as fit and healthy as possible as they age. Maintaining their independence, whilst taking an active part in society.

Improving equity in access, experience and outcomes. Tackling the root causes of ill health and addressing the social determinants of health to reduce inequalities and improve the health of those who are at greater risk. By improving equity of access to information and services, more people will be able to receive the help they need.  

We are working to mitigate, and adapt to, the likely impacts of six key aspects of climate change on the health of the population of Suffolk: temperature, air, water, food, nature, and disease.

Climate change is already damaging the health of populations and individuals worldwide, and these impacts are going to increase over time. It will increase population vulnerability, may lead to changing patterns of disease, and is likely to exacerbate existing health inequalities.

Health inequalities are “avoidable, unfair and systematic differences in health between different groups of people” (Kings’ Fund, 2020).

Alongside improving the health of the population, reducing health inequalities is a core thread of Public Health. We work with system partners to develop greater insight, provide services, prioritise resources, and improve outcomes; all with the overall aim of reducing health inequalities in Suffolk.

The wider determinates of health refer to social, cultural, political, economic, commercial and environmental factors that shape the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age (The Health Foundation).

These include factors such as: air quality, housing, educational attainment, income, employment, crime and social capital. The Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis has had a negative impact on the wider determinates of health, worsening both long term and short term health and wellbeing.

Much of our service delivery is place-based, adapting our interventions and actions to local situations to maximise impact. 

Furthermore, we take an asset based approach, valuing the skills, knowledge, places, venues, connections, and potential in our communities; and we use them as the foundation for our work.

We work with communities and community partners whenever possible to co-produce plans, projects and approaches.

Our delivery is needs based and inclusive, targeting our efforts and resources proportionately to the identified need; and working in ways which promote equality, diversity and inclusion within our organisation and its services.

Our work is informed by data, evidence, intelligence, theory, and local knowledge ensuring we make robust decisions about what we do, and we measure and evaluate the impact of all our work, using Outcome Based Approaches.