Liverpool’s Public Health report for 2023 highlights the role that arts and culture play in contributing to the wellbeing of citizens in the city. As Liverpool prepares to welcome pop star Taylor Swift, the report suggests that Liverpool’s cultural sphere is vital to the public health team’s efforts to spread messages about the importance of maintaining healthier lifestyles. The council aims to raise awareness of the health and wellbeing offers that are available across the city and to assist the public health team in reaching a broader audience.
One example of Liverpool’s innovative approaches to developing public health is the Eurovision community programme, where singing classes were held in nursing homes and schools throughout the region. The report, commended for accessibility by the Association of Directors of Public Health in its Annual report, reveals that public health teams must work together with communities to develop creative local approaches to diverse problems. Collaborations with communities can have an impact on vaccination uptake, as well as helping to improve overall mental health.
The annual report is a requirement for councils across the country to detail their public health status. Liverpool’s report is situated in the context of the Health 2040 report, which also released this year and reveals the pressing health challenges that Liverpool faces—an obstacle that the city must urgently respond to in order to prevent reduced life expectancy and extended periods of ill health for residents. Despite these obstacles, Liverpool is committed to reducing inequalities in healthcare and improving the overall health and wellbeing of all its citizens.
In recent years, Public Health and Culture Liverpool have partnered to develop pioneering community outreach together. As the city continues to develop and evolve, it is vital they continue this work and harness the power of culture to promote healthy lifestyles. As Councillor Harry Doyle, Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing, and Culture, puts it, the involvement of events like Eurovision and the River of Light Festival “provided an opportunity for teams to work together to promote health messages.” Therefore, Liverpool will continue to work with its communities, listening and collaborating with them to develop targeted interventions that empower communities during challenging times
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