Aims
Investing for Health aims to improve the health of our people and reduce inequalities in health. It sets out a broad range of areas where new and concerted action could make a significant difference to health and wellbeing.

Three priority groups are identified;

• the very young and children
• young people,
• older people.

In line with best practice elsewhere a settings approach is proposed, and homes, schools, workplaces and communities are identified as priority settings.

As part of an integrated lifestyle and lifeskills programme the priority topics identified include;

• smoking
• physical activity
• eating for health
• harm related to alcohol and drug misuse
• mental health
• sexual health
• accidents
  

Objectives and Targets
Objectives and targets give everyone with a contribution to make a common set of improvements to work towards and allow progress to be measured meaningfully and regularly.

The overarching aims of this Strategy are:

• to improve the health status of all our people and
• to reduce inequalities in health.

In order to achieve these aims we have to tackle the main causes of preventable ill health and premature death by addressing the wider determinants of health.

The Investing for Health Consultation Paper proposed that a limited number (between 5 and 10) of high level targets, which are challenging but attainable, should be set. It was suggested that they should be formulated in terms of the main determinants of health and should include process as well as substantive targets. They should measure progress towards reducing health inequalities. It also stated that they should allow for international comparisons and be selected for:

• their ability to motivate action;
• the availability of data to measure their progress and
• their relevance to the aims and principles of Investing for Health.

This approach was widely supported through the consultation process, and it was stressed that the targets set should be relevant to the many and various organisations that need to participate if the aims of Investing for Health are to be achieved.

The targets for Investing for Health move away from the traditional focus on disease outcomes and risk behaviour, although some of these will be used as indicators in monitoring progress towards reaching the high level objectives. Existing targets in relevant strategies, such as the Physical Activity Strategy, will also need to be taken into account where appropriate. Inequality targets have been included, since reducing health inequalities is intrinsic to the entire Strategy.

Detailed information on the targets can be obtained from sites shown on the Links page.