Items where Author is "Jones, Russell"

The third session of the Symposium looks at integrating health into the spatial planning system. This grew from Glasgow's membership in the WHO healthy cities network. It is about planning for people - putting their needs at the centre of the system. Planners have to balance a variety of needs (such as regeneration). The aim is to create an environment where people can maximise their health. People should be allowed a say in the development of their local area. Asks if quality of place is an issue in Glasgow - yes it is. There is too much derelict and vacant land, much of which is contaminated. They need to raise awareness of the links between planning and health and build motivation to take this forward. They are also building an evidence base and trying to change the way people work - to cross professional boundaries. He gives an example, the Health Impact Assessment of the East End Local Development Strategy. The results of this fed in to all future development plans for the area. It had a workshopping approach which gave a variety of community groups an equal voice in the planning. The city council trained some of their employees in health impact assessment. They also promoted the idea of integrated infrastructure, for example combining drainage with recreational areas using canals. Glasgow is now a test site for the Equally well project. We need to find a way to move health from a competitor to economics to being a complementary part of the planning process. The Centre still has work to do and aims to build on the momentum already generated.