| Health Impact Assessment Phase IV 2003-2008 |
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Belfast Healthy Cities is one of a limited number of organisations in Northern Ireland to have carried out an HIA. We were also the first in the region to pilot a community led approach in the Community Health Impact Assessment project. In developing capacity, Belfast Healthy Cities has worked closely with Erica Ison, specialist HIA practitioner, affiliated to the Public Health Unit, Oxford. She is also the expert advisor to WHO on HIA.
What is Health Impact Assessment? Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is a concept and practical approach to assessing potential health impacts of a proposal. Its main aim is to make recommendations for how positive impacts can be maximised and harm to health reduced, based on evidence from stakeholders affected by a proposal. HIA is increasingly used in programme development particularly in England, but also has a strong endorsement in the public health strategy Investing for Health in Northern Ireland. The World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO), among others, have been at the forefront of developing HIA, which has its origins in environmental impact assessment. HIA objectives
Our current HIA programme at Belfast Healthy Cities aimed to integrate health impact assessment into organisations’ planning and decision making processes. In particular, the aim is to integrate HIA into non-health policies, to provide a mechanism for considering health within these. Policies in Northern Ireland currently undergo a range of impact assessments, but health is not an explicit consideration within most of these. Building capacityTraining staff in key organisations on HIA to develop a basic understanding of the concept was a main focus of HIA in Phase IV. Selected staff participated in HIAs to provide them with practical experience in conducting HIAs. Key partner organisations for training have included EHSSB, Belfast City Council, Northern Ireland Housing Executive, the Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan team and (prior to April 2007) the two Health and Social Services Trusts in the city.
Conducting HIAsAs there is limited expertise in Northern Ireland in conducting HIA in practice, Belfast Healthy Cities will continue to conduct HIAs using external support where appropriate and build experience and expertise which can be shared in future.
Proposals to be assessed will be identified on a continuous basis and HIAs to be carried out will be agreed with the developers of proposals. Online evidence baseA final element of the programme was the development of an online evidence base for HIA, which organisations can use for their own impact assessments. This work has been initiated in the resources section below.
HIAs ConductedHIA Lower ShankillThis project assesses health impacts of the proposed Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) Regeneration Strategy for the Lower Shankill estate. Belfast Healthy Cities has facilitated the HIA, which was commissioned by NIHE with support from Investing for Health. The HIA was initiated in September 2006 and involved several workshops with local people and special interest groups, including women and older people. A poster competition was also arranged in the local primary school, asking pupils to illustrate what they wanted the area to look like. The final report, which sets out suggestions for how the strategy could best enhance health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities in health, also includes an academic evidence base. The project was project led by Belfast Healthy Cities with a management and steering group, which included representatives from local organisations and public sector agencies working in the area. The HIA assessed health impacts of eleven options presented in the economic appraisal of the Regeneration Strategy. The report will be publicly available by January 2008. Community Profile A profile of the lower Shankill community has also been developed to support the HIA and provide a concrete tool that the community can use for example in future funding applications. The profile provides an overview of the people in the community and their living conditions including education, income, employment, health, environment and deprivation levels. It shows for example that less than 10 % of household heads in the area are in full time employment, while a significant proportion of households in the estate have an income of less than £200 per week. The Community Profile will be published by Belfast Healthy Cities alongside the final report. HIA Connswater GreenwayThe HIA of the Connswater Community Greenway proposal aimed to strengthen the health and wellbeing element of the bid, which in November 2007 was awarded over £23 million from the Living Landmarks stream of the Big Lottery Fund. A HIA workshop held on 14 March 2007 focused on what public sector agencies and local organisations in east Belfast can do to support health benefits of the proposal, and reduce any negative impacts. The workshop used an adapted HIA approach to make this approach possible. The final HIA report outlines impacts identified and the ways in which the Greenway can support health and wellbeing in east Belfast. The proposal is to develop a 10 kilometre long greenway along Connswater river. It includes, for example, parkland, nature trails and 15 kilometres of cycle or walking path, with links to schools and local amenities, along with inside and outside classrooms and other educational elements. The project would also employ a community engagement officer and a range of volunteers. The Connswater Community Greenway proposal website provides more information on the project. Response to Belfast City Centre North West Quarter Part II, Baseline Regeneration Issues Report, January 2007.A desktop healthy impact assessment response to the consultation prepared by Erica Ison, Specialist HIA Practitioner, affiliated to Public Health Resource Unit, Oxford. HIA on the Government proposals to reform liquor licensing in Northern IrelandA rapid Health Impact Assessment workshop was held on 10th April 2006. The purpose of the day was to look at the potential health effects of the government consultation document “Liquor Licensing - The Way Forward”, a proposal to reform the Liquor Licensing Law. The intention was to add value to public health through assessing the proposal and making suggestions for how it can be tailored to maximise positive and minimise negative health effects. In addition we wished to gain contributions from workshop participants on the potential health impacts of the Liquor Licensing proposal. The final report Liquor Licensing Law HIA report 2006 is available here. HIA on draft EHSSB Green Travel PlanThis HIA was conducted jointly by Belfast Healthy Cities and the EHSSB to asses the potential impact of a travel plan to reduce car use among EHSSB Staff. A cross section of staff participated in this rapid appraisal workshop which for some was their first introduction to the HIA process. The recommendations from the HIA were to be included in the EHSSB’s Travel Plan which is to be implemented in the near future. Belfast Healthy Cities staff facilitated the workshop and completed the final report, HIA on the draft Green Travel Plan of EHSSB. HIA on draft Belfast Air Quality Action Plan Belfast Healthy Cities supported Belfast City Council to carry out an HIA of the draft Air Quality Action Plan in spring-summer 2005. This HIA took the form of three rapid appraisal workshops, two carried out in communities within Air Quality Management Areas and one overall stakeholder workshop. It also piloted work with children in two primary schools, and the P7 pupils who participated contributed their views in an art competition.Our Programme Director chaired the intersectoral steering group for the HIA, and Belfast Healthy Cities was also responsible for arranging the community workshops for the Westlink corridor and Ormeau Road Air Quality Management Areas. The final Air Quality Action Plan was launched in May 2006. It is available on the Belfast City Council air quality website, which also provides a link to the report on the HIA of the draft Air Quality Action Plan. HIAs conducted on DSD MasterplansIn view of the rising importance of considering health and well being as part of land use planning, we commissioned Erica Ison, HIA specialist to conduct HIAs on the draft North East and North West Masterplans issued by Department of Social Development. The reports Health Impact Assessment of the Draft North West Quarter Masterplan for Belfast City Centre and Health Impact Assessment of the Draft North East Quarter Masterplan for Belfast City Centre were presented to DSD during the consultation process on the draft plans.
Community Health Impact AssessmentPilot Project
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