Health Challenge Wales is a vitally important challenge for the nation. It is a challenge to Government locally and nationally and helps to create the conditions necessary for people to lead healthier lives and to improve their health. It is a call to organisations and employers and groups in the public, private and voluntary sectors to do as much as they can to help their customers and people who use their services, and their own employees, to improve their health. It is also a call to us all as individuals to do what we can to protect and improve our own health.

There is no doubt that health is our greatest asset but it is often neglected and many people across the County Borough suffer from the consequences of illnesses, which could have been and still can be prevented. Poor health has a huge adverse impact on individuals and their families, on communities, on our economy and on the effectiveness of business performance. It also places avoidable demands on our already stretched health and social care services, and on other support services. A substantial part of this demand involves treating accidents and injuries and the outcomes of smoking, alcohol and drug abuse and other risks that people take with their health.

The Welsh Assembly Government and its partners are giving top priority to measures to improve health and well being and active and practical participation in meeting the objectives. Health Challenge Wales is offering people and organisations greater recognition for what they are currently doing to improve health and to trigger innovative thinking on what more they could do. The key health themes include taking action to:

• Reduce smoking
• Help to cut levels of obesity
• Raise levels of participation in physical activity
• Reduce the number of accidents and injuries
• Reduce alcohol and other substance misuse
• Prevent infections (sexually transmitted; healthcare acquired; vaccine preventable; dental decay)
• Improve mental health and well being

Health Challenge Bridgend

Bridgend County Borough Council and Bridgend Local Health Board are determined to continue to improve the health of people in the County Borough and would like to do so in partnership with yourselves and other public, voluntary, and statutory organisations. Towards this end Health Challenge Bridgend was launched in 2006 with a focus on physical activity initially. This briefing pack (and other publications) will provide partners with information on each aspect of the Health Challenge Bridgend agenda, and on ill health prevention and health promotion generally. We also intend to engage in a programme of education aimed at enhancing knowledge of the determinants of health (lifestyle, education, environment, housing, and income) and on a range of activities that can be carried out to prevent ill health and improve health and well being.

If we look at improving mental health as an example, everyone has emotional and mental health needs. Maintaining good mental health is important because it influences how we think and feel about ourselves as well as others. It can also affect how we deal with everyday life events, such as relationships and coping with change. Looking after our mental well being is just as vital as looking after our physical well being.