Strengthening Health in EIA

a report of and workshop on the findings of the European Commission’s IMP3

project on the health aspects of EIA in the UK and Europe

Nicola Pearce and Salim Vohra

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

14th UKPHA Annual Public Health Forum, 14th March 2006

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion

Workshop Overview
• Workshop aims (5 min)

• IMP3 project findings (20 min)

• Case study group work (40 min)

• Group feedback and discussion (20 min)

• Final points (5 min)

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion

Workshop Aims
• Key findings and trends in relation to health and EIA in
the UK and EU

• Some practical experience of assessing health impacts

• Recognition of the value and limitations of assessing

health impacts for plans and projects

• Where to go to find more information on HIA

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options

Project Background
• European Commission regularly reviews the workings of
EU Directives.

• This is the second review of the EIA Directive since its

amendment in 1997

• Carried out by six partners from five countries: Austria,

Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and the UK

• 1 year research project

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options

Research Background
Questionnaires
• 970 EIA stakeholders were sent questionnaires
• 183 responded from 24 EU countries (19%)

Interviews
• 38 stakeholders in 10 EU countries
• 26 stakeholders in Canada and the US

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options

Number of Responses by Country

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options

Definition of Health in EIA

• Majority view – health as environmental risks i.e. air,
water, soil and noise pollution

• Minority view - in 12 countries - mental health and

social wellbeing recognised in legislation

• Small but significant shifts in recognition of need to

assess health more broadly in EIA practice

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion

Understanding of Health in EIA by

policy options

Country

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options

Health impacts assessed

• Physical health impacts are always or most often
considered

• Social and mental health-wellbeing impact are less

often or rarely considered

• Inequalities in health impacts between different

community groups is very rarely, if at all, considered

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options

Influences on Health considered in EIA

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options

Barriers to Strengthening Health

• No or insufficient guidance on how to consider health
issues in EIA (65%)

• Insufficient knowledge and understanding of health

and health determinants (49%)

• Definition of human health in EIA regulations is

inadequate or too narrow or missing(40%)

• Failure to include health experts in EIA teams (34%)

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers findings Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options

Overall Findings
• Assessment of human health within EIAs is being
undertaken

• Most are health risk assessments of the affect of

emissions into the air, water and soil

• or completely separate HIAs carried out after the

EIA has already been completed

• Signs that small but significant shifts have occurred

in most Member States, there is greater recognition
of the need to strengthen health in EIA

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers trends Case Study Group Work Discussion
policy options identified

EU Policy Options Identified

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers trends waste transport housing business cultural Discussion
determinants of health and wellbeing

Case Study Group Work

• Introduction and ‘What is health?’

• Each table will work on a case study of their choice

• Each table will choose a HIA tool of their choice

• 30 minutes to use the tool and assess the health issues relevant
to the case study

• Choose someone to report back (rapporteur)

• 10 minutes for rapporteur to type group findings and comments

onto PowerPoint slides on this computer (to present later)

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

 Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
determinants of health and wellbeing
housing
housing employmen
conditions
tenure t
disabilit sexual smoking
ethnicity behaviou status
y alcohol family working
personal
r relationshi
Biological resilienc Personal conditio
leisure ps n
genetic factors e
Lifestyle medicatio circumstances
factors activities incom
n
e
diet illegal personal
sex age educatio
substance transpor
n
s t

noise soil
smell qualit water
y qualit
public & y community
social
environment air social participatio
support
al health qualit contact n
services Environment y Determinants of peer
civic Health & Social influences
pressure
design
natural land use
Wellbeing fear of
hazards & discriminatio crime &
green natural n fear of crime &
resource planning anti-
waste space discriminatio anti-
s social
management n social
behaviou
research & behaviou
r
technological r
development community
business job voluntary & childcare facilities
activity creation charity leisure
Economic
groups facilities
conditions
distribution
health &
availability of incomes Availability & access housing
social
and quality availability
care services
of and quality
educatio
employment of training shops and n&
banking public advice training
services transpor services
t
Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Adapted from ‘Rapid Health Impact Assessment: a guide to research’ by Amanda Harris, 2002
Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers trends waste transport housing business cultural Discussion
determinants of health and wellbeing

Waste
• Project
• Siting and building of an energy from waste
facility (incinerator)

• Plan
• Consultation on a draft waste strategy

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers trends waste transport housing business cultural Discussion
determinants of health and wellbeing

Transport
• Project
• Building of a new road

• Plan
• Consultation on a draft local transport plan

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers trends waste transport housing business cultural Discussion
determinants of health and wellbeing

Housing
• Project
• Building of 1,000 luxury and affordable homes

• Plan
• Consultation on a draft housing strategy

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers trends waste transport housing business cultural Discussion
determinants of health and wellbeing

Business
• Project
• Construction of a new call centre business park

• Plan
• Consultation on a draft economic development
strategy

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
health impacts barriers trends waste transport housing business cultural Discussion
determinants of health and wellbeing

Cultural
• Project
• Construction of a new leisure and arts complex

• Plan
• Consultation on a draft culture and leisure
strategy

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

 Workshop Aims IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
determinants of health and wellbeing
housing
housing employmen
conditions
tenure t
disabilit sexual smoking
ethnicity behaviou status
y alcohol family working
personal
r relationshi
Biological resilienc Personal conditio
leisure ps n
genetic factors e
Lifestyle medicatio circumstances
factors activities incom
n
e
diet illegal personal
sex age educatio
substance transpor
n
s t

noise soil
smell qualit water
y qualit
public & y community
social
environment air social participatio
support
al health qualit contact n
services Environment y Determinants of peer
civic Health & Social influences
pressure
design
natural land use
Wellbeing fear of
hazards & discriminatio crime &
green natural n fear of crime &
resource planning anti-
waste space discriminatio anti-
s social
management n social
behaviou
research & behaviou
r
technological r
development community
business job voluntary & childcare facilities
activity creation charity leisure
Economic
groups facilities
conditions
distribution
health &
availability of incomes Availability & access housing
social
and quality availability
care services
of and quality
educatio
employment of training shops and n&
banking public advice training
services transpor services
t
Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Adapted from ‘Rapid Health Impact Assessment: a guide to research’ by Amanda Harris, 2002
Overview IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
final points

Feedback and discussion

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Overview IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
final points

Waste Plenary

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Overview IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
final points

Transport Plenary

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Overview IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
final points

Housing Plenary

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Overview IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
final points

Business Plenary

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Overview IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
final points

Cultural Plenary

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Overview IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
final points

Feedback and discussion

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

Overview IMP3 Project Findings Case Study Group Work Feedback and discussion
waste transport housing business cultural
final points

Final Points
• Health is assessed within EIA but not to the degree and
breadth that it could be

• Health is gaining ground in EIA and in the

consideration of non-health plans and projects

• Health professionals need to be more pro-active at the

scoping and review stages of an EIA rather than getting
involved at the end

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates

 The End
Thank you for taking part 
For further information, discussion and advice:

Nicola Pearce Salim Vohra

Community Involvement Training Officer Principal Health Impact Assessor
Wales Centre for Health Peter Brett Associates
14 Cathedral Road Caversham Bridge House
Cardiff Waterman Place
CF 11 9LJ Reading,Berkshire
RG1 8DN

Email: nicola.pearce@wch.wales.nhs.uk Email:

svohra@pba.co.uk
Phone: +44 (0) 29 2022 7744 Phone: +44 (0) 118 952 0299

Wales Centre for Health in association with Peter Brett Associates