OPINION: We want to help people help themselves to be healthy

THE more people who fall ill, the more we all pay. It’s a simple statement, but it’s true, which is why the health and wellbeing of their residents is the biggest challenge faced by all councils.

Although some think of councils as mostly being there for services such as collecting rubbish, maintaining roads and providing libraries, by far the largest part of our annual budget is spent on adult social care and public health.

It’s why I was keenly awaiting the Secretary Of State For Health’s speech to the Local Government Association Conference last week.

I was reassured that the he was fully aware of the challenges we face, as he was quick to mention the ‘perfect storm’ of an ageing population, councils’ falling incomes, and rising demands for higher quality services.

But, while the speech addressed the need for closer working between the NHS and councils, something of which we already have good experience here in Swindon, the minister also had the courage to point out the fundamental responsibility for being healthy starts with each of us.

Some may feel uncomfortable with the state appearing to “lecture” them on how to live their lives, but as long as public services have a duty to respond and care for people with avoidable conditions – and therefore pay - then we make no apologies for attempting to persuade people to make better choices in the first place.

There are three main areas we need to address: Alcohol abuse, obesity and smoking.

Alcohol abuse has wide physical and psychological effects on spouses, partners, and children.

Smoking is bad not only for those who choose to indulge but also to the rest of us with whom they share their smoke.

Eating unhealthily and a lack of exercise leads to diabetes, heart attacks and cancers, among any number of illnesses.

If people want to help themselves, we have played our part already by securing the future of local leisure facilities for up to ten years, and there are many commercial gyms available too.

There are free exercise areas in Haydon Wick, Gorse Hill and near the Railway Village.

There are the numerous parks, some of which have organised runs for people of all abilities such as the Shin Splints at Coate and Park Run at Lydiard Park.

We also support breast feeding, which can reduce the chances of babies developing problems later in life.

I am not suggesting that we should all be training for the half marathon this autumn, though I am delighted to see the picture of Swindon South MP Robert Buckland, below second from left, leading by example, but what we can all do is make those small changes now that will keep us away from hospitals, doctors, needles, and pills for longer.