Cumbria Community Foundation - Furness: Opportunities and Challenges 2021

F U R N E S S – O P P O R T U N I T I E S & C H A L L E N G E S 16 O P P O R T U N I T I E S n Good access to health services and leisure facilities to promote healthy living, good air quality and a great natural environment. n Above-average numbers of people who are physically active and lower- than-average levels of binge drinking. n Close-knit communities can mitigate against loneliness, particularly for older people, and provide support networks for those needing care. n Increasing recognition within the ‘health system’ that how people live their lives and the support they have to live well is vital in changing long- term health outcomes. n An increasingly ‘joined up’ charity sector providing a range of services, activities and opportunities. Challenges: n Targeting poor-health hotspots, notably high rates of debilitating illness and truncated life expectancy. n Reducing high rates of obesity – particularly among children – and above-average rates for smoking and teenage pregnancies. n Combating alcohol abuse – the high rate of hospital admissions for alcohol-specific conditions among under-18s is especially troubling. n Tackling poor mental health as evidenced by high male suicide rates and incidents of self-harm for both sexes. n Supporting long term lifestyle changes. n Resourcing community and charity projects. Health Too many Furness residents have poor health. Statistically, they are more likely than average to suffer from a limiting long-term illness or mental health problems, to self-harm, to be obese, and to die prematurely. This is frustrating given that many of the underlying factors that enable good health are present. The Access to Health Assets and Hazards index 1 is intended to give an indication of how healthy neighbourhoods are. It considers the retail environment – the prevalence of potentially harmful fast-food outlets, pubs, off-licences, tobacconists and bookmakers – the ease of accessing health services, access to leisure centres and green spaces, and air quality. 1 Consumer Data Research Centre Low Furness, which has relatively poor health outcomes, scores better than average on all these criteria except the retail environment. Given such a promising base, there must be scope to improve outcomes.