The Glasgow Health Commission

In 2008, the Leader of Glasgow City Council established a Health Commission for Glasgow which was tasked with taking a fresh look at the city’s health challenges and come up with proposals on how to tackle them.

Health Commission members comprised sixteen senior individuals from diverse backgrounds who agreed to work together over the course of a six month period to hear about, reflect upon and discuss Glasgow’s health challenges and to make practical recommendations for policy and action to improve health and reduce inequalities.

The Health Commission was chaired by Professor Pamela Gillies, Principal of Glasgow Caledonian University, and supported by the Council’s Health Policy Team.  The GCPH contributed to the Health Commission through membership of the group (Carol Tannahill), provision of evidence (Fiona Crawford) and facilitation support for discussion and debate (Andrew Lyon).

Draft recommendations were drawn up in early 2009 and consultation took place between March and May 2009. In addition to a public consultation via the Council website, Health Commission members presented recommendations to a range of statutory, voluntary and community groups and organisations.

Pupil Councils were also consulted on their views regarding the creation of a child friendly city as this had been identified as an overarching theme for the report. As a result of the consultation, the initial set of 18 recommendations was increased to 20 and further detail was added in several sections. 

Recommendations are grouped under three key themes: People and culture; Environment; and Services.  The city’s partners have been challenged to prepare detailed action plans responding to recommendations and setting out how they intend to implement them.  The GCPH will help to measure progress on recommendations and the Chair of the Health Commission has undertaken to hold an annual review of progress regarding implementation. 

Further information including minutes of meetings, reports and presentations can be found on Glasgow City Council website.