Health Impact Assessment
A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is an important tool in supporting healthy, sustainable development. Improving health and wellbeing, and reducing health inequalities within our population, is a key aim of the Leicestershire Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
What is a Health Impact Assessment?
The World Health Organisation define HIA as ‘a combination of procedures, methods and tools by which a policy, programme or project may be judged as to its potential effects on the health of the population and the distribution of those effects within the population’.
The HIA process provides a systematic way of assessing the potential impacts of development on the mental, physical, and also social health of communities, considering these issues early in the process. HIAs consider both whether development proposals could potentially add to or worsen health inequalities or have positive health outcomes for the local population.
In the below video, Kelly-Marie Evans, Consultant in Public Health, provides a short introduction to HIAs.
Where do I start?
It is recommended that users check the relevant local planning authorities policies and requirements for completion of a HIA prior to completing the process. However, users can opt to consider completing the process over and above minimal planning requirements, to further consider health impacts of a proposal and improve health outcomes. This process will guide you to identify groups potentially affected by the proposed development, any related health impacts and the potential scale of these impacts. When completing the screening please consider potential impacts from construction, the development itself, impact on neighbours to the site (residents and workforces). Also, include considerations around the development’s future design and occupants.
Why am I doing this?
Research has shown that socio-economic and physical environments can determine up to two thirds of health outcomes in our populations. Focusing on these ‘wider determinants of health’ such as our homes and the wider built environment is essential for improving population health and wellbeing and reducing inequalities.
In summary, HIA gives the opportunity to ensure the creation of sustainable developments for our communities by:
- Demonstrating that health impacts have been properly considered when preparing, evaluating and determining development proposals.
- Ensuring developments contribute to the creation of a strong, healthy and just society.
- Helping applicants to demonstrate that they have worked closely with those directly affected by their proposals to evolve designs that take account of the views of the community.
- Identifying and highlighting any beneficial impacts on health and wellbeing of a development scheme.
- Identifying and acting to minimise any negative impacts on health and wellbeing of a development scheme
Developing assessments that consider local health data
In completing a HIA, it is expected that local health data will be considered to help identify where proposals may seek to maintain or improve positive health outcomes for residents. The following resources have been developed to assist in accessing health information at a local authority level.