Mayor supports build-in health or build more hospitals event

Healthy neighbourhoods are the bedrock of a healthy city. But can the market deliver the kind of places that we know support healthy lifestyles? Can we splice together health and development economics to reduce the financial and social burden arising from avoidable disease. Might ‘building in health’ even save the NHS? These are the questions being discussed at ‘Developing healthy neighbourhoods: Build-in health or build more hospitals’ on Tuesday 18 October as part of Healthy City Week.

Bristol City Council is aiming to provide 2,000 new housing units a year. Together with its three surrounding authorities it is preparing a joint spatial plan that aspires to embed health into housing growth.

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, says:

“The environment in which people live is one of the key determinants of people’s health. Our drive to build homes and communities will form a key plank of our plans to ensure that Bristol is a city that supports better health and wellbeing and reduces health inequalities as a matter of course.

“It is a matter of social justice and economic sense that Bristol plans health into development and builds inclusive connected communities”

Fi Hance, Cabinet member for Health and Wellbeing, is working with Marvin on this agenda. Cabinet members for housing and place have also accepted invitations to the evening. Fi will provide an introduction to the evening and will use the conversations and collective feedback to help shape future policy direction in this area.

Keynote speakers Marcus Grant, Director of Bristol Health Partners SHINE HIT, and Helen Pineo, Associate Director for Cities at the Buildings Research Establishment Programme, will present two ‘provocations’.

Hear initial responses from:

• David Relph, Director of Bristol Health Partners
• Justin Harris working on behalf of the NHS England Healthy New Towns Programme
• Internationally renowned strategist Alex Notay of Places for People
• Paul Mitchell, Health Economist at NIHR CLAHRC West and the University of Bristol
• Mark Drane, IBI Group

Then join in the conversation yourself.

The event starts at 7pm for 7.30–9.30pm at the Architecture Centre. You will be welcomed to a networking reception where complimentary drinks will be served, followed by the event at 7:30pm.

Book your place now.