In Gwent, however, we are facing stark inequalities. Residents People in Torfaen, Newport, Caerphilly, and Blaenau Gwent are disproportionately affected by preventable illnesses and premature death.

That’s why the WFG Act is central to how we deliver healthcare in Gwent and has influenced our commitment to being a Marmot region – the first Marmot region in Wales.

Alongside the WFG Act’s national well-being goals and ways of working, the eight evidence-based Marmot principles are  instructing how we tackle the root causes of health inequality and build a Healthier, Fairer, Safer and Stronger Gwent by focusing on the wider determinants of health; the social, economic, environmental and structural factors that affect our health including education, jobs, good social housing, transport and our environment.

Through the Gwent Public Services Board, we are exploring a community-centred and systems-led approach that will reduce inequalities for all age groups with a focus on narrowing the gap in the number of years lived in good health between the least and most deprived communities.

In Gwent, we are:

Listening to communities – understanding how people want and need to access and experience health services.

Through our Integrated Well-being Networks across Gwent, we are improving and strengthening well-being by connecting and enhancing community assets for people to build relationships and find the things that matter to them.

Investing in early years – supporting children’s speech, language, and social development to close the attainment gap, help them prosper in school and beyond and improve their lifelong outcomes.

Poverty has a negative impact on child development, affecting their learning and future. That’s why our collaborative School Readiness project is supporting children in Gwent to achieve developmental milestones ready for school by co-designing activities and resources for families.

Preventing illness – creating environments where people have the best chances for healthier lives, through access to green spaces and planning to ensure communities have easier access to healthy, affordable food.

We are part of Blaenau Gwent’s Food Partnership, working with others to build a local food system that is healthy, affordable, resilient and fair.

The Partnership is supporting community growing projects, sharing guidance on healthy eating for children and new families and encouraging people to cook more with seasonal, local ingredients with their free Taste of Nature recipe book.

Improving housing and accessibility – creating warm, safe spaces and community hubs to reduce isolation, enhance mental and physical health and save money for the Welsh NHS who spend an estimated £95m annually on the health consequences of inadequate housing.

Community well-being hubs were created to get the right support at the right time to the right people. The hubs provide a variety of services including advice on the cost-of-living crisis and signposting to available support, as well as building community spirit and reducing isolation.

These actions are embedded in our Integrated Medium-Term Plan and are already being led on the ground by communities across Gwent. Our role is to support and amplify this work, empowering local people to shape the future they want for themselves and for generations to come.

The challenges we face are not unique to Gwent. Across Wales we need collective, long-term investment in prevention to change the trajectory of public health. The WFG Act reflects Wales’ courage and clarity of purpose. I joined Aneurin Bevan University Health Board in 2023, inspired by the WFG Act’s potential to drive meaningful change, now and for the future.

Through this framework, Gwent is committed to being a region where no one is left behind. Where we act today, not tomorrow. Where we say with confidence: Ni yw Gwent – We are Gwent.

For more information on how Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is working through the lens of the Well-being of Future Generations Act, visit our website.

For resources and support on how to embed the WFG Act into your work, visit the Future Generations Commissioner’s website.