Health in All Policies (HiAP)
- Equality
A Health Impact Assessment (HIA) is one way to achieve Health in All Policies (HiAP).
HiAP is an established, preventative approach to improving health and health equity.
It involves working across all areas of the public sector to consider how decisions might affect people’s health. Sectors may include:
- transport
- housing
- education
- the environment
It’s not about making health the top priority or taking over other agendas.
Instead, it recognises that everyone has a role to play in creating the conditions for good health.
When people are healthier, it supports other goals too, like:
- improving educational outcomes
- boosting the economy
- reducing demand on public services
By working together, we can avoid unintended harm, find shared benefits, and help reduce health inequalities.
In 2015, the Review of Public Health in Scotland recommended that public health teams should use HIA as part of a HiAP approach to partnership work.
Further information on HiAP is on the resources page. You can also learn more about it in the WHO Helsinki Statement.