Key Points
Demographics and communities
The population growth in Bell Green and the WEHM area over the past decade is significant, outpacing the city's average and demonstrating the area's appeal to younger families and working-age adults. With a significant rise in children and adults aged 25-34, these demographics suggest a community that is becoming increasingly youthful and family-oriented. This has implications for understanding health needs in the area, despite there being fewer than average elderly residents, the needs of these residents cannot be ignored and ensuring that there are services available for these residents is vital.
Bell Green and WEHM is increasingly diverse. Having a culturally competent health and social care workforce is particularly important in this diverse area and efforts could be directed towards fostering a sense of community, addressing linguistic diversity, and supporting voluntary and community organisations that support residents.
Coventry Household Survey 2022 indicates that social cohesion in the area is not as strong as in other parts of Coventry. This could be due to the rapid demographic changes, suggesting the need for initiatives to foster better integration and unity within the community.
Prospects
It is essential to address disparities in child development, enhance educational opportunities, and tackle economic and social challenges through collaborative, community-driven approaches. In Bell Green and WEHM, discrepancies in child development are evident when compared to Coventry and national averages. Targeted interventions can significantly improve early childhood development, and increasing awareness of funded early years childcare can ensure that more children access beneficial early education programs.
Educational achievement among school-aged children in Bell Green and WEHM is also lower than the city and national average. Children perform below the Coventry average in key subjects like reading, writing, and maths by the time they reach Key Stage 2. This gap widens by the end of secondary school. These challenges, coupled with low levels of formal qualifications among the working-age population, suggest a need to improve educational outcomes involving both schools and community support services.
Although unemployment rates have improved over the past decade, they still remain high this coupled with high levels of economic inactivity and low wages means that opportunities to find meaningful employment are vital.
Improving access to health services, strengthening educational support, and creating economic opportunities are all crucial steps toward improving outcomes for residents of Bell Green and WEHM.
Housing and environment
Satisfaction with the local area is lower than the city average and has declined over recent years. However, accessibility to green spaces is relatively good, contributing positively to residents' well-being. Air pollution remains a concern, with high levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM), which poses health risks, particularly for vulnerable groups.
A substantial proportion of households lack access to a car, indicating a reliance on public transportation and the need for improved cycling infrastructure and public transport incentives. Residents are proactive in suggesting community-driven environmental improvements, such as planting fruit trees, providing compost bins, and cleaning local waterways. There is increased support for sustainable practices like installing solar panels and promoting public transportation is evident.
Social renting is significantly higher, while owner-occupied and private renting rates are lower than city averages. Overcrowding is more prevalent, indicating a need for better housing solutions and policies to address population density and housing quality. Despite house prices being lower, fuel poverty and homelessness rates are higher, highlighting economic and social challenges.
There are higher crime rates and lower perceptions of safety, particularly at night, which affect residents' quality of life and mental well-being. Addressing anti-social behaviour through community support and engagement is crucial.
Health and wellbeing
Residents face notable health disparities, with lower life expectancy and higher premature mortality rates. A social gradient approach focusing on people’s prospects and opportunities, housing and environment and lifestyle factors can help improve outcomes, reduce inequality and reduce premature mortality.
The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed the vulnerabilities of the Bell Green and WEHM communities. While mortality rates from the virus were not as high as might have been expected, residents reported a disproportionate impact on their overall well-being. The relatively low uptake of vaccinations among older residents also points to potential gaps in healthcare engagement and trust, which must be addressed to improve public health outcomes in the future.
The high rate of HIV in WEHM and the lower satisfaction with GP services indicate that access to healthcare, while physically adequate, may not be meeting residents' needs. Improving the quality of primary care services, as well as increasing efforts to engage residents in preventive healthcare measures, could help to address these concerns.
Lifestyle factors, such as high smoking prevalence and the severe impact of alcohol on residents' health, further complicate the health landscape in Bell Green and WEHM. While alcohol consumption is reportedly lower than the city average, the high rate of hospital admissions for alcohol-related conditions highlights the significant harm it is causing. This paradox suggests that when alcohol use does occur, it may be more harmful, or residents may face barriers in accessing support for alcohol-related issues. Similarly, the higher childhood obesity rates in WEHM indicate that interventions targeting healthier lifestyle choices, particularly in children are needed.