Chief Medical Officer's annual report looks at Health in Cities

By GM Moving | 16 December 2024 | TAGS: Active Travel, Walking Wheeling Cycling

Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Professor Chris Whitty has outlined a broad range of health opportunities and challenges for city populations in his annual report.

The CMO reports have been released annually over 150 years, providing an independent assessment of the state of the public’s health in England.

The report, which features case studies from core cities in England, including Manchester, recognises physical activity as one of the best ways to preserve health.

The report states: 

"Cities provide both difficulties and opportunities for citizens to build exercise and physical activity into their daily lives.

"Cities should be ideal places for enabling active travel with shorter distances to the things we need or want on a regular basis, including supermarkets, places of leisure, work or healthcare.

"Making walking and cycling more practical and safer, and access to green space easier and more equitable, would go a long way toward removing barriers to improving physical activity levels and could significantly improve the health of England’s increasingly urban population."

The report, executive summary, and recommendations are all available on the government website.

As well as city case studies, the report also delves into city contexts such as housing, homelessness, the food environment, mental health, and active travel.

GM Moving’s Strategic Director Eve Holt – currently on secondment at the GMCA - was part of the three-person team responsible for co-authoring the active travel chapter.

Eve worked alongside retired Director of Public Health Eleanor Roaf and Dr Jo Maher, an NHS GP and Physical Activity Clinical Champion, on the content which includes six recommendations for urban policy makers.

Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty said:

“Cities provide great opportunities for a healthier life but many, especially in areas of deprivation, have poor access to healthy food choices, exercise and are exposed to air pollution. These are soluble problems.

“People move frequently within cities which contain a diversity of population groups – the health system must adapt to them, not the other way around.

“There are many older citizens living in cities and it is important they are supported to live healthier lives. Addressing the health challenges of cities require a broad range of actions from policymakers, the NHS and individual citizens.”

Each city case study is written by public health professionals with Manchester’s chapter written by:

• Cordelle Ofori – Director of Public Health, Manchester City Council
• Sarah Griffiths – North Manchester Strategy Lead, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
• Neil Bendel – Public Health Specialist (Health Intelligence), Manchester City Council
• Katie McCall – Strategic Lead for Making Manchester Fairer, Manchester City Council
• Sharmila Kar – Joint Director for Equality and Engagement (Manchester Locality/Manchester City Council), NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care

The GM Moving team will delving deeper into the report, and sharing further insights, in the New Year.