Healthy adults
Why is our work important?
In Tower Hamlets, poverty and deep-rooted social challenges mean that many adults live in poor health. Residents in our poorest neighbourhoods, and among some ethnic groups, and those facing exclusion are not only living shorter lives but are also spending more of those years in poor health. There is some evidence that these gaps are widening. This inequality is not only avoidable, but also unjust.
Our team exists to change that.
We are working to ensure that every adult in Tower Hamlets can realise their fundamental right to a healthy life.
Preventing ill health in Tower Hamlets
Guided by robust evidence, we focus on the issues that have the greatest impact on health and wellbeing. These are the drivers of health inequalities in our borough, and tackling them is essential to creating a fairer, healthier future for everyone.
By addressing these priority areas, we can improve health, reduce avoidable illness, and support every adult in Tower Hamlets to live a longer, healthier life.
Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
- Mental illness affects 1 in 6 adults every week. Over 50,000 Tower Hamlets residents live with common mental health conditions such as depression or anxiety, and more than 4,900 people live with serious mental illness (SMI). People with SMI in Tower Hamlets have higher rates of early death than London and England.
- The suicide rate in Tower Hamlets is 8.1 per 100,000, this is similar to the England rate of 10.7.
Sexual & Reproductive Health
- Tower Hamlets consistently ranks among the areas with the highest rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in England, particularly among young people and men who have sex with men (MSM).
- Use of highly effective long-acting contraception (like coils and implants) is low, especially among some ethnic groups.
Substance Misuse
- Tower Hamlets experiences high levels of drug and alcohol dependency. Drug use is more common among men, White groups, and people experiencing homelessness, with opioid prescribing above regional averages.
- Despite high levels of alcohol abstinence, alcohol-related harms remain significant particularly among men and White/Other groups—with unmet treatment needs comparable to the London average.
- The Bangladeshi community also has a high number of admissions, underscoring the need for culturally appropriate support.
Preventing Long-Term Conditions: The Vital 5
In Tower Hamlets, five key health issues—smoking, obesity, excessive alcohol use, high blood pressure, and poor mental wellbeing—known as the Vital 5, are responsible for much of the ill health and early death in our borough. By tackling these issues together, we can prevent long-term conditions, reduce health inequalities, and build a healthier, fairer community.
We focus on the Vital 5 because:
- They are common and preventable, contributing significantly to diseases such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and mental illness.
- They cluster together, meaning people affected by one are more likely to experience others, compounding the risk of poor health.
- They drive inequality, being more prevalent in our most disadvantaged communities and contributing to the gap in life expectancy and healthy life years.
- They are treatable and changeable, with the right support helping people lead longer, healthier lives.
By addressing the Vital 5, we improve individual health, ease pressure on services, and strengthen the resilience of our borough. Here’s how each contributes:
Smoking
- Smoking is one of the leading causes of illness and early death. Around 1 in 8 adults in Tower Hamlets smoke, above the national average, with higher rates among ethnic minorities, manual workers, and those with mental health conditions.
- Smoking-related harm costs the borough an estimated £259 million annually.
- Helping people to quit is a proven, powerful way to improve health and reduce inequality.
Excess Weight
- Around 118,000 residents in Tower Hamlets are living with overweight or obesity, significantly increasing their risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other long-term conditions.
- Supporting healthier diets, active lives, and environments that make the healthy choice easier is central to reducing this burden.
High Blood Pressure
- Often undetected, high blood pressure can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease. Around 20,000 residents are estimated to have undiagnosed hypertension.
- Increasing early detection and effective management is essential to protecting health and preventing avoidable harm.
Alcohol Harm
- Almost 1 in 5 adults report binge drinking, yet 85% of those needing support for alcohol use are not receiving it. Alcohol misuse has wide-reaching effects on individuals, families, and communities.
- Improving access to treatment and prevention services is key to reducing harm and supporting recovery.
Mental Wellbeing
- Around 1 in 6 adults experience depression or anxiety each week, and over 50,000 local residents live with common mental health conditions.
- Promoting mental wellbeing and expanding access to support helps people thrive and strengthens community resilience.
By prioritising the Vital 5, we are laying the groundwork for a healthier future in Tower Hamlets, preventing illness, tackling inequality, and creating the conditions for everyone to live well.
What do we do?
Our team works to ensure all adults in Tower Hamlets experience equally the right to live long, healthy and happy lives.
In particular we aim to:
- ensure adults are equipped with the knowledge, and empowered to build positive health habits.
- ensure TH Adults have the right equitable, accessible and quality support to improve health and reduce harmful behaviours.
- ensure that adults with communicable and non-communicable diseases have their needs identified early, and are enabled to access support
- inform & strengthen health and care services so that they are high quality, maximise population health and reduce inequities
Cross-cutting all we do: we have an aim to improve overall outcomes for our residents and to reduce inequalities by ensuring provision of additional targeted support where needed for the most excluded groups.
How We Make Change Happen
We turn our goals into action by:
- Producing insight and evidence about best ways to address local health needs – We use research, data, and community insight to understand what’s really affecting people’s health in Tower Hamlets.
- Bringing People Together – We build strong partnerships and create spaces for organisations and communities to work better, together.
- Shaping the System’s Strategies – We develop strategies and advocate for change, influencing decision-makers to prioritise prevention and health equity.
- Commissioning services to Make Healthy Choices Easier – We help plan and arrange access to services that support healthier living, like stop smoking, weight management, sexual and reproductive health.
- Driving Local Action – We lead and support practical projects that tackle health issues on the ground, where they matter most, like workplace health checks.
How can you keep healthy in Tower Hamlets?
Key messages and services to support residents:
- Registering with a GP near where you live as soon as possible, even if you don’t need them right now, will help with accessing the health services you need when you need them. You do not need proof of address or immigration status, ID or an NHS number.
- Free weight management support is available to help you achieve a healthy weight, along with information and guidance to support healthy eating.
- There is information and support available to help you stopping smoking including from our expert support services.
- You can work out how risky your drinking is using our quick and confidential online alcohol test - Drinkcoach and find support to cut down.
- If you are finding it hard to cope with difficult feelings, thoughts or events, you are not alone. There is help available for you to take care of your mental health and wellbeing through our local support services or speak to your GP about getting help.
- Many pharmacies across Tower Hamlets can check your blood pressure and advise if further action is needed. Find a pharmacy near you and get checked.
- If you’re sexually active, you can access free STI testing from local pharmacies, online self-testing, your GP or by visiting our local sexual health services. For information and advice about options for contraception, you can talk to your GP or local sexual health services.
Where can you get more information?
What documents and strategies are we contributing to, to support healthy adults?
Who can I contact to find out more?
For more information about the work of the Healthy Adults Team please contact Liam Crosby, Associate Director for Public Health – Healthy Adults: liam.crosby@towerhamlets.gov.uk
For specific areas of work please contact team members directly:
Health Young Adults Team:
Middle Aged and Older People: