Simon Tanner, Director of Public Health at NHS London, talks about the benefits of the Games for Londoners, and how the health legacy can be sustained.

1. How can we make lasting
health and well being for
Londoners the legacy of the
Games?
Dr Simon Tanner
Regional Director of Public Health for London
11 October 2012
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2. NHS responsibilities as set out in the Bid
Commitments and Host City Contract
• Ambulance cover at sports
venues
• 3 designated ‘Games Family’
hospitals
• Free healthcare for Games
Family
• NHS volunteers
• Public health surveillance
• Well tested emergency response
capability
• ‘Business as usual’ service
levels for local
• People and visitors
• Health legacy
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3. Our approach to Health Legacy
• Consistent focus that ran through all
stages and workstreams of the
programme – from planning to
delivery.
• Challenge: how could an elite sporting
festival lead to a legacy of health
improvement?
– Participation in sport and physical
activity is good for health and
reduces healthcare costs
– Evidence suggests the benefits
won’t appear without a strategy
– Health inequalities in London
meant our strategy had to be
broader than sport to make a
difference
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4. Our strategy: Go London
“Use the once in a lifetime opportunity for hosting the Games
as a catalyst for generating a sustainable increase in
physical activity participation and for promoting healthier
lifestyles among Londoners up to and beyond 2012”
Dame Ruth Carnall, Chief Executive
NHS London
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5. Outline of the Go London Health Legacy
Framework
• Physical activity for health
and wellbeing
• Child health
• Partnerships
• In addition to NHS systems
and infrastructure
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6. Achievements to date
• 2009 Go London legacy strategy developed.
• 250 local health and wellbeing programmes associated with the 2012
Games across London, for people of all ages, health status and disability.
• Pan London and national coverage and collaborations with commercial
orgs.
• Strategy in development to mainstream health benefits in the new health
system.
• Games also used as a catalyst for longer term improvement to
strengthen systems and process in service provision.
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7. What next?
• Continuing to work with partners to ensure
effective projects are sustained to bring about
lasting health benefits.
• Cabinet Committee on legacy re-launched, led
by Maria Miller, Secretary of State for Culture
Media and Sport, with Lord Coe as legacy
ambassador.
• Government departments prepare 4 year legacy
plan.
• NHSL tailoring approach to implement health
improvement plan for London to include:
- supporting local programmes, in particular
the east London ‘convergence’ programme.
- securing commercial sponsorship,
- developing the Sir Ludwig Guttmann
health and wellbeing centre as beacon for
health legacy,
- encouraging the NHS and its patients to
become healthier.
• Annual legacy Directory to be published till 2016.
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