Help shape the One West Northamptonshire Plan
Priority 6: Best Place to Live & Age Well
A healthy and happy West Northants: we want people to live the best lives they can - happy, healthy and independent.
As the fourth largest unitary council area in the country with a mixture of urban and rural areas, we have diverse demographics around our key towns and more remote areas. There are also significant differences between average incomes and ages depending on geography. Regardless of this, our shared partnership ambition is for residents to ‘live their best life’ in all aspects: health and wellbeing, education, housing and employment, and whoever they are and wherever they live in Northamptonshire.
We know the impact partnership working can have and the positive difference it can make for both communities and service delivery. To that end, we have already established a set of shared aims:
- Improve the health and wellbeing of the population,
- Reduce inequalities in health and wellbeing outcomes,
- Ensure value for money,
- Contribute to the economic and social wellbeing of West Northamptonshire.
A strong and supportive West Northants: Confident and empowered communities working together to make a difference. It is vital that we work collectively to support people to stay active and well during their working age years taking a role in promoting the positive influence of wider determinants of wellbeing, jobs, housing, green space and isolation.
While we have a lower-than-average percentage of over 65s, we have seen this group grow at twice the national average and by three times for over 75s. Our emergency NHS services have been under pressure for years and public expectation is to be able to access ‘on-the-day’ services creating over-reliance on access to urgent healthcare. This has resulted in an exponential increase in demand at A&E and also for social care.
Current expectations are that we will see a 6.5% increase in the overall population of Northamptonshire to 2030, with a 21% growth in the numbers of people over the age of 75 – leading to between 7 to 8% more attendances at A&E and 10% more emergency admissions. Primary care attendances will increase at similar levels, as will demand for mental health services.
If we do nothing, it would require a minimum of 164 more acute hospital beds, along and similarly unsustainable and unaffordable increases in primary care and mental health services. Shifting the balance to more holistic, proactive, planned support will rebalance and reduce the current reliance on unplanned care ensuring emergency services are able to prioritise and meet the needs of those who are at greatest immediate risk.
To slow this trajectory, we need to support our children and adults to live healthy and active lives. Our green spaces and sport and leisure partners provide a real opportunity to support an increase in healthy life expectancy for local people, alongside work on reducing local health inequalities.
For our elderly population we will need to continue to encourage and support empowered self-care and active prevention where possible, working in partnership with health and the voluntary sector to avoid health crises and reduce hospital admissions but also to manage longterm conditions at home through technology and social prescribing solutions. Where the elderly face a crisis, we will work with partners to respond in the community and, through joint services and facilities, we will focus on helping them recover their independence. This is better for our residents’ outcomes and reduces the cost and operational pressures on health and care.
Our strength-based approach is delivered across our Local Area Partnerships with the intent on enabling people to remain independent and live their best lives. Integration with health, housing and voluntary sector partners will increase our ability to support people in a person-centred way and make best use of local resources.
Please view the proposed Priority 6 and suggested outcomes and shared development areas.