Chapter 1: Waterford and the Development Plan
In “Our Vision” and in the Aim section- can health and well-being named explicitly. Waterford will be a county that is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of all citizens across all life stages- reducing health inequalities, committed to improving quality of life and experiences. Recognising that our health is impacted by many factors including economic stability, social and community context, neighbourhood and environment, health care and education, employment and housing. In the document there is reference to all these areas and the importance of each but there is an absence of the explicit linking of the importance of these in terms of the overall impact on the individual’s health and well-being and a commitment to improving health and wellbeing through the focus on developing each of these areas.
“Improving the quality of life” is mentioned throughout which is great. By linking this to health and wellbeing in the text earlier then it will continue that thread throughout each time quality of life is mentioned.
P4- maybe a one liner in brackets summarising what placemaking is- great that it is included, would be fantastic it the concept was clear to the reader at a glance. And also on last bullet point maybe name “active travel”
P5. “Good Development plans should have”…. Maybe the following kind of bullet point could be added: A deliberate focus on improving the health and wellbeing of the citizens incorporated at a core fundamental level into all future plans for development of the City and County
1.3 Policy Context:
Can the Healthy Ireland National Framework be included here?
The Healthy Ireland Framework 2019-2025 is a roadmap for building a healthier Ireland. It is based around four key goals:
- to increase the proportion of people who are healthy at all stages of life
- to reduce health inequalities
- to protect the public from threats to health and wellbeing
- to create an environment where every individual and sector of society can play their part in achieving a healthy Ireland
1.6 In the 8 points that summarise the 17 SDG’s – can the term health and/ or wellbeing being incorporated in here – can be incorporated in line with the SDG relating to reducing inequalities and/or relating to environmental health and/ or importance of placemaking and built environment in communities and urban regenerating and the direct links to improving health of communities and individuals
1.7
International Policies:
World Health Organisations- Healthy Cities ; Waterford is a Member of the National Network of Healthy Cities and Counties and a Healthy City under the WHO
National Policies:
Healthy Ireland Framework