Addressing housing and health inequalities

by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed
I had the opportunity to present on Housing and Health Inequalities to the Bureau Local UK Network of the  Bureau of Investigate Journalism. My central argument was that health has to be put at the centre of our discussions about the built environment. We know that there are issues with housing in the UK. But it goes far beyond merely building more homes. Eighty percent of the homes we'll be living in in 2050 have already been built. It's critical to public health, to reducing our carbon emissions, that we address the challenges associated with substandard and energy inefficient homes. And it pays dividends. The argument that this is all too expensive is nonsensical given the very real costs associated with doing nothing. Here's a copy of the slides I presented.... Addressing housing and health inequalitiesDownload...
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Reducing social isolation and loneliness

Reducing social isolation and loneliness

by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed
I had the pleasure of chairing the fourth in The Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) series on Healthy Living and Housing.  The focus for this session was on reducing social isolation and loneliness. You can access the session by clicking the link here and registering to watch on demand. Speakers for this session included Smriti Kotiyal, Research Assistant, University of Bradford Marianne Wanstall, CEO, The Brendoncare Foundation Heather Claridge, Principal Design Officer, Architecture & Design Scotland   COVID-19 and the role of technology Smriti began by discussing the significant role that technology, including communication technologies, has played in managing COVID-19.  COVID-19 is often compared to the 1918 Spanish Flu and 2009 H1N1 outbreak. Today we have improved capacity, diagnostic tools and communications. For example, current global internet usage sits at 53.6% compared to 25.8% in 2009. This has very much facilitated improved knowledge sharing and better use of technological advancements. The use of technology to reduce the spread of COVID-19 has not been without controversy. China is one...
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Plantech and the future of planning

Plantech and the future of planning

by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed
Data is critical in urban planning. But are we taking full advantage of it? How could a data informed and digitally enabled planning system benefit citizens, developers, local authorities and government? And what is Plantech? These are important questions. Not only does data about the built environment help us understand how cities work, it provides insight into how cities are changing, and what we will need to meet these changes. This is critical in the development of local development plans. In England, the requirement for these is set in law. These plans set out a vision and a framework for the future development of the area. You can read more about local planning process here. These are just a few of the issues raised at the London Property Alliance’s NextGen: Future of Planning Seminar. Attendees were welcomed by Jack Brewster, Director of Development at Grosvenor GBI and WPA NextGen Steering Group member. This was then followed by a presentation by Stefan Webb, Director...
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Integrating health and housing

Integrating health and housing

by Sophie Taysom Comment Closed
Does housing affect health? We know in the UK that there is a significant shortfall in housing. The Housing Federation puts this figure as an annual shortfall of 340k homes a year just to meet requirements. In addition to this, many people live in unhealthy or unsuitable homes, or live in precarious situations. These factors can have a significant and detrimental impact on health outcomes. And there are some people who are particularly vulnerable – babies and children, people with disabilities, and older people. This is not just about housing, but also public health. How do we integrate health and housing? This was the question to kick off a webinar discussion in July facilitated by Ethan Williams, researcher at the King’s Fund. Panelists included: Rachel Toms - Programme Manager, Healthy Places, Public Health England Rachael Byrne - Executive Director, New Models of Care, Home Group Vic Rayner - Executive Director, National Care Forum This report has been updated following the publication of Creating...
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