How does the Welsh Government use data on poverty in Wales to guide the development of health policy?
There are a range of information sources and tools which policy makers use in the development of health policy. For example, data provided by the Office of National Statistics, which publishes a wide range of official statistics including poverty and equality; and the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation, which identifies the areas of Wales that are the most deprived.
Welsh Government works closely with Public Health Wales, which supports the collection and interpretation of data, and hosts tools, such as the Welsh Health Equity Status Report Initiative. This provides a dynamic picture of health inequities, their burden, and determinants in Wales, which informs policy solutions and investment prioritisation. Public Health Wales also publishes the Public Health Outcomes Framework, which contains data on health outcomes that are important to the people of Wales.
Welsh Government – as well as other public bodies – has a number of responsibilities within the Socio-Economic Duty, including taking account of evidence and potential impact of strategic decisions, and understanding the views and needs of those impacted by the decision, particularly those who suffer socio-economic disadvantage. As an example, we conduct an integrated impact assessment of proposed health policies which incorporates consideration of socio-economic implications.