Working together for a healthier London

• find out about the London snapshot on health inequalities; this publication gives an overview of data about health inequality 

• learn about GLA Group wide skills building health in all policies masterclass

A lot has happened since my blog last November celebrating the first anniversary of the GLA Group Public Health Unit. 2024 has seen elections for the Mayor of London, the London Assembly and national government. With these now behind us, work has begun across the GLA Group to deliver on the Mayor’s manifesto commitments in the term ahead.  

The GLA Group’s work touches the lives of Londoners in many different ways – it delivers vital programmes and services for the capital, including policing, fire services, planning and transport. This gives the Group a unique opportunity to ensure that its work helps Londoners to have the right building blocks in place to support their physical and mental health.  

Over the past year, the Group has continued to make fantastic progress in making sure that its work  has a positive impact on Londoners’ health. From creating better conditions for Londoners to live in good health, such as healthy streets and cleaner air, to fostering safer communities, we have taken significant steps in the right direction.    

In the past few months, I’ve been particularly pleased to see two pieces of work delivered: the publication of the London Health Inequalities Snapshot, and the Unit’s annual Health in All Policies Masterclass at City Hall.  

Building an understanding of London’s health inequalities  

In order to work together to solve the problems facing Londoners, we need to build a shared understanding of the capital and its complexities. The Public Health Unit recently collaborated with partners through the London Health Equity Data Collaborative to deliver the 2024 update of the London Snapshot on Health Inequalities. The Snapshot provides a high-level overview of the major inequalities impacting Londoners’ health and wellbeing. 

To launch the Snapshot, colleagues delivered a London-wide webinar, hosted in partnership with the London Health Equity Group, to highlight its key findings and insights from colleagues across the London system. The accompanying supplementary packs offer a closer look at children and young people, climate, and poverty and cost of living alongside the Snapshot. Our hope is that these will spark conversations between partners, provide insight on inequalities across London, and help identify around potential areas to work together. 

Empowering colleagues to take action  

Deciding how to progress from understanding a problem to taking action is not always simple. Our second annual Masterclass brought together over 60 colleagues from across the GLA Group at City Hall. It was an opportunity for colleagues to learn more about how they can shape GLA Group policies and programmes in their daily work so that they contribute to creating a healthier London.  

 Attendees heard about real-world examples of this work from across the Group, showcasing collaborations with partners that have had positive health outcomes. They learned how the GLA has worked with organisations such as NHSE (London), London Councils, and the Association of Directors of Public Health London to drive meaningful change through technical advice and advocacy for the London Climate Resilience Review. This Review provides recommendations to help London adapt to extreme weather, mitigating health risks from events such as flooding and heatwaves, while fostering the development of healthier, greener, and more resilient neighbourhoods that enhance quality of life for all. Expert-led interactive workshops gave masterclass attendees some practical skills they need to address key challenges facing London. 

Throughout the day, the energy and conversations were insightful and heartening, with sessions and networking paving the way for future collaboration and engagement across the Group.  

Vicky Hobart, GLA Group Director of Public Health