Introduction to Health Impact Assesment

Health Impact Assessment is a standard approach within Public Health to assess risk and uncertainty in areas that may be hazardous to health. More recently these methods have been developed to promote sustainable development. For example North and East Lincolnshire Councils, in association with North and East Lincolnshire Primary Care Trusts have produced an ‘Integrated Impact Assessment Screening Tool’ that includes both health and environmental impact assessment and requires a multi-agency approach. The tool is aimed at policy / strategy developers involved in the preparation of transport plans and housing strategies, particularly when putting together site-specific proposals. It is designed to support the Regional Sustainable Development Framework and builds on the Yorkshire and Humber region sustainability appraisal tool.
drhouse: health impact assessment
Health Impact Assessment tools can be used at a number of stages in the planning process: before implementation – to evaluate early drafts of plans; during implementation – when it may still be possible to act on findings; after implementation – to suggest how future programmes might be improved.

The purpose of this Integrated Health Impact Assessment is to apply a HIA tool (that has been specifically designed to take account of sustainability) to a local development. This approach supports the Transition Town Totnes (TTT) resilience and sustainability agenda, specifically as it relates to wider health and well-being issues.

(Source: The Regional Sustainable Development Framework (RSDF) for Yorkshire and the Humber and subsequent revisions to incorporate Health Impact Appraisal)

Link from 'local initiative'

An Integrated Health Impact Assessment of the proposed development at Baltic Wharf has been undertaken; link to summary and full report.