Health Creation Alliance, in partnership with The King’s Fund and commissioned by National Housing Federation, launched a set of three reports that together aim to support a more productive relationship between the housing and health sectors.
Together, the three reports focus on the economic case for housing-led health interventions:
- Health professionals’ attitudes to evidence and the influence it has on decision making is intended to help the housing sector to better understand some of the complexities around how the health sector uses evidence to inform decisions.
- Developing a business case for health – what does good look like? provides some pointers to help housing organisations to make and present a strong business case to their health partners.
- The economics of housing and health is principally for health professionals – it makes an economic case for a range of ways in which housing organisations support the work of the health sector and impact on the nation’s health.
The reports are co-authored by Merron Simpson, chief executive of Health Creation Alliance, David Buck, senior fellow in public health and health inequalities at The King’s Fund, and Shilpa Ross, senior researcher at The King’s Fund.
Dr Mark Spencer, co-chair of Health Creation Alliance said “One of the aims of the Health Creation Alliance is to reduce the barriers that hold professional groups apart and prevent them from working out new solutions together – which is particularly important as we move to a more place-based health service through the Sustainability and Transformation Plan and devolution processes. These reports should help to smooth the way by helping housing organisations to create a better case and health bodies to recognise the breadth of solution and economic impact that housing organisations can provide.”
Merron Simpson, chief executive, Health Creation Alliance said “New care models that focus on prevention and health creation will need to go further in working with community-based organisations like housing. That means both sectors coming to an understanding about how best to evidence outcomes of a range of interventions to give assurance to health commissioners and providers. In these reports, we are facing both ways, providing insights for both the housing and health sectors in order to help to build understanding confidence around evidence.”
David Buck, senior fellow, The King’s Fund said “Whilst the NHS and wider health sector recognise the importance of housing to health in principle, many are less aware of the role of housing organisations in practice and the wide range of prevention, maintenance and focussed support they offer not only to their residents, but beyond into the local population more generally. These reports help demonstrate that and further, through a range of case studies, show how housing organisations are working well with the local NHS helping the NHS reduce its costs, deliver cost-effective care and wider economic value.”
The reports were launched at the National Housing Federation Health and Housing Conference taking place in Birmingham on 20 September 2016.
Notes to editors
- For more information please contact Sophie Lap at sophie.lap@salixandco.com
or on 07725 555 030 - Health Creation Alliance is a movement of people and organisations who are committed to building a sustainable, community-based health service. They are an entirely solutions focused organisation, unique in its approach bringing together more than 10,000 passionate individuals and organisations across primary care who believe innovation, connections and integration are key to the sustainability of a health service that remains free to all at the point of need. Health Creation Alliance promote greater collaboration between organisations within the NHS and between the NHS, communities, local authorities, innovative enterprises and other local enablers of prevention and health creation.
- Health Creation Alliance work on health and housing include: Housing for Health, Housing, just what the doctor ordered, and Closing the Health Gap
