Does Decent Homes mean decent health?

Sheffield Homes is taking part in a major research project to assess the impact of its huge Decent Homes programme on the health of customers.

 

Sheffield’s £669m Decent Homes programme is the biggest in the country and will see 48,000 council homes brought up to the Government’s Decent Homes standard by 2010.

The study, commissioned by Sheffield First Health and Well Being Partnership, has seen Sheffield Homes work closely with partners Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield’s Primary Care Trusts.

 

Heading the research is leading academic, Professor Geoff Green of Sheffield Hallam University’s Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research, in conjunction with the University of Warwick’s Safe and Healthy Homes Research Unit.

 

The report will be one of the most innovative research studies of its kind in the country, providing invaluable and in-depth information on the effect of decent homes and better living environments on mental and physical health, for local authorities and health practitioners alike.

 

Factors examined include everything from whether new kitchen and bathroom designs have helped to reduce accidents and the impact of improved heating, insulation or ventilation on general health, to questions on improved security systems and the effect on mental health and well being.

 

As Decent Homes work can include new kitchens, bathrooms, windows and heating systems, Sheffield Homes was keen to know more about how the inevitable disruption of such major work in homes affects tenants, with a view to improving practices for the remaining years of the Decent Homes programme.

 

"Improving the health and quality of life for our tenants has always been a key aim of our Decent Homes programme," said Sheffield Homes’ Director of Investment, Jon Lovibond.

 

"It might seem obvious to say a better home environment is good for your health, but this is such a huge project, we felt we needed a barometer to ensure we were on the right track and identify exactly what the key factors were which impact on people’s health.

 

"With four-and-a-half-years of the Decent Homes programme still to run, we aim to share this information with tenants and use it to target investment as effectively as possible and continuously improve the way contractors carry out the work in people’s homes.

 

"We are looking forward to seeing the published report. The Decent Homes programme is based on a strong partnership with contractors and tenants, and it is good to see the partnership approach extending into a research project like this.

 

"We’d also like to thank Professor Green and his team for the thorough, professional and exceptionally high quality research methods we know he has employed. This report will not only be of use to us and our partners in Sheffield, but we feel will be of huge benefit to other local authorities and PCTs up and down the country."