HACT releases research report on health and housing conditions
The HACT ‘Project ADaM’ report highlights the link between housing conditions and respiratory health, focussing on collaboration.
Social housing charity HACT alongside its partners has published a research report, encouraging collaboration between housing and health in the East of England around Asthma, Damp and Mould (ADaM).
The report comes in response to growing concerns over damp and mould impacts, amplified by the 2020 death of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, which led to ‘Awaab’s Law’ in 2023 and will come into force later this year, enforcing stricter landlord responsibilities.
The report features collaboration between shared Public Health service (Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire, and the city of Milton Keynes) and housing associations, Amplius, (formerly Grand Union Housing Group), Peabody and bpha Ltd.
A key finding from project ADaM emphasised that poor housing is costing the NHS £2.5 billion annually, with illnesses linked to cold, damp and dangerous homes.
Andrew van Doorn, HACT Chief Executive emphasised how the report represents a strong link between housing associations and public health.
Van Doorn said: “The link between housing and health has never been clearer. This report shows us first-hand how a strong collaboration between housing associations, public health, primary health and social prescribing, can drive meaningful change and create long term impact.
“With the creation of the Neighbourhood Health Services, this demonstrates how creative partnerships with housing can support the major shifts being driven by Government to bring healthcare closer to home, focus on prevention and improves health outcomes. We now have a roadmap for integrating services, sharing data, and ultimately improving the lives of those affected by poor housing conditions.”
Commissioned by Bedford Borough Council’s Public Health Service, the report builds on HACT’s 2021 white paper, Health & Housing: Creating a blueprint for a new way of working, and outlines progress in improving health pathways and data sharing between sectors.
The research combined stakeholder interviews and best practice reviews to assess how poor housing conditions drive respiratory issues.
Alongside this, NHS England’s asthma care programme has promoted environmental interventions to reduce asthma attacks in children.
Vicky Head, Director of Public Health, Bedford Borough, Central Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes shared throughts on how collaboration will better the lives of residents.
Head added: “Public Health are pleased to be working with our health and housing partnership to establish joined up approaches and support for residents. By further developing our shared insights and working together we can put in place processes that enable better support for residents on this important issue.
“This collaborative and proactive approach will facilitate learning and improvement and help us to ensure we can have a positive and long-term impact. As this work continues to develop, we will keep sharing our good practice and learning across sectors.’
