Director of Public Health Reports
2025/6 – High impact areas for improving health and wellbeing
Every part of society has a role to play in improving health, preventing disease and reducing health inequalities. However, understanding where to put limited resources to have the greatest impact is not easy. This report uses this data from the JSNA to identify areas for all ages and each life course stage that offer the greatest opportunities to impact on a lot of people, reduce years lost to poor health, reduce inequalities, reverse negative trends and close gaps with the national average.
2024/5 – Population, health and healthcare use in Bedford Borough, 2021 to 2043
The 2024/5 report highlights the impact of expected growth in the population on disease prevalence and the demand for healthcare services. It draws on locally-developed population forecasts based on local building plans to quantify the significant challenges expected over the next two decades for an already over-stretched healthcare system.
2022 – Taking Local Action to Address Excess weight in Bedford Borough
Three out of five adults and two in five 11-year olds living in Bedford Borough are overweight or obese. Excess weight is a major cause of ill health and death locally and disproportionately affects some of our poorest communities.
Tackling excess weight is not simply a matter of educating individuals to make healthier choices. The people who are most likely to become overweight or obese are those whose lives are shaped by work, school and social environments that promote overeating and inactivity. It is easy to feel overwhelmed by the scale and complexity of the challenge, but there are effective actions we can take locally.
This report focuses on the important roles that partner organisations and businesses in Bedford Borough play in shaping our environment and keeping our population healthy.
2020/2021 – Understanding the Impacts of Covid
The annual Director of Public Health report is an independent report focused on improving the health of the people of Bedford Borough and this year the report focuses on understanding the direct and indirect impacts of COVID-19 on our communities. It aims to highlight the issues and opportunities that have arisen due to COVID-19 and considers the impact on our residents.
The report includes the stories and experiences of people living in Bedford and makes recommendations to address the public health challenges that have arisen due to COVID-19 to improve the health of our population.
2019/2020 – Homelessness and health
The annual Director of Public Health report is an independent report focused on improving the health of the people of Bedford Borough and this year the report focuses on the important topic of homelessness and health. It aims to highlight issues, present evidence and make recommendations to address the public health challenges of homelessness, in order to better prevent homelessness and improve the health of homeless people
2016 – Aiming for the best for Children, young people and families
The Director of Public Health’s report shines a light on a different aspect of health and wellbeing in Bedford Borough. This report focuses on our most important asset: our children and young people. It sets out the key local issues and makes a series of evidence-based recommendations.