Flintshire project tackling health inequality praised
The Future Generations Commissioner for Wales is calling on the Welsh Government and NHS Executive to take urgent and far-reaching action to prevent illness and reduce health inequalities – with a Flintshire initiative held up as a model of what works.
Derek Walker said shifting towards a truly collaborative and preventative approach in healthcare would ease pressure on the NHS, improve quality of life, and reduce chronic disease, particularly among people living in more deprived communities.
“The fact that people in Wales’ poorest areas can expect to live over a decade less in good health than those in better-off communities is unacceptable,” he said. “We need drastic action, including a serious switch to preventative health, using all of our public services so we don’t pass on poor outcomes to future generations.”
Wales remains the only country in the world with a Well-being of Future Generations Act, which requires public bodies to work together to improve life now and for people not yet born. But Mr Walker said the country is still struggling with high levels of preventable illness, driven by poverty and poor living conditions.
Recent figures show that around one in three Welsh adults is obese, and almost a third of children are overweight by the time they start school. Public Health Wales has warned that the cost of obesity to the NHS could reach £465 million annually by 2050, with total costs to the wider Welsh economy rising to £2.4 billion.
The Commissioner said better prevention was needed from the outset of all clinical pathways. “If we fail to address these preventable conditions across Wales, then our waiting lists will continue to rise, treatment times will increase, and we will be reducing the quality of lives for our children and grandchildren,” he warned.
Mr Walker’s forthcoming Future Generations 2025 Report, due on April 29, will recommend halting the rise in obesity within five years and reversing it within ten. He is also calling for a new national food resilience plan and for stronger collaboration between public, private and voluntary sectors to tackle inequality.
In Flintshire, one project is already leading the way. The 2025 Movement, a coalition of over 600 organisations and individuals, is working to bridge the gap between healthcare and social support, with a focus on preventing poor health through practical action.
Joanna Seymour, Project Manager for 2025 Movement and Warm Wales, said they are working directly with GPs and pharmacies to support people whose living conditions may be damaging their health.
“Healthcare providers know the links between cold, damp homes and health, but there hasn’t been a clear path for referrals,” she said. “We’re creating that service so health professionals can connect people directly to support.”
One initiative, Healthy Homes – Healthy People, focuses on fuel poverty, an issue that affects many homes in North Wales. By improving insulation and heating, and supporting vulnerable households, the project has helped reduce health problems like respiratory illnesses and mental health issues.
“In 2018/19 alone, we helped more than 2,000 people and saved over £546,000,” said Joanna. “But more importantly, it gave people the chance to live more comfortably and with dignity.”
Wrexham University also played a key role through its Public Service Lab, using social prescribing to support early intervention. Nina Ruddle, Head of Public Policy Engagement, said the 2025 Movement is an “organic, emergent social movement” helping to build healthier, fairer communities for the future.
The Commissioner’s wider message is clear: preventative action not only improves lives now but also ensures a more sustainable healthcare system for future generations.
