About west Essex 

West Essex health and care services support people living in the districts of Epping Forest, Harlow and Uttlesford. The area includes a diverse mix of urban, suburban and rural communities.

Health and care organisations across west Essex work together with local councils, voluntary organisations and community partners to improve population health, reduce inequalities and deliver joined-up services that meet the needs of local residents.

Where is west Essex?

West Essex covers three local authority districts:

• Epping Forest
• Harlow
• Uttlesford

The area includes a diverse range of places and communities, including:

• The town of Harlow
• Suburban communities along the London border
• Rural villages and green belt countryside
• Stansted Airport and surrounding employment areas

This mix of urban, suburban and rural environments shapes how people access health and care services. Transport links, commuting patterns and local infrastructure also influence local health needs across west Essex.

Population and communities

West Essex has an estimated population of just over 300,000 people.

Population characteristics vary across the area:

• Harlow has a younger population, with a high proportion of working-age adults and families.
• Epping Forest includes a mix of suburban neighbourhoods and semi-rural communities.
• Uttlesford has a higher proportion of older residents, many living in rural villages.

These differences influence demand for services such as:

• support for long-term health conditions
• mental health services
• frailty and ageing well programmes
• community and home-based care

Stansted Airport also influences the local population profile. The airport brings a large workforce, commuter flows and international travel, which can affect housing demand, employment patterns and access to services.

Health inequalities and access to services

Health outcomes vary across west Essex.

Some neighbourhoods in Harlow experience:

• higher levels of deprivation
• lower healthy life expectancy
• higher smoking rates
• increased emergency admissions for long-term conditions

In contrast, many areas of Uttlesford and Epping Forest have strong overall health outcomes but face rural access challenges. These can include:

• limited public transport
• longer travel distances to services
• digital connectivity issues in some communities

Local partners work together to understand these differences and reduce barriers to accessing care.

Diversity and inclusion

West Essex has a varied socio-economic and demographic profile.

Harlow has greater ethnic diversity than some rural parts of the county, while Uttlesford has one of the oldest population profiles in Essex.

Health and care organisations work to ensure services are inclusive and accessible to everyone, including people living in deprived neighbourhoods and rural communities.

Local health and care priorities

Partners across west Essex focus on improving population health through prevention, early intervention and neighbourhood-based care.

Key priorities include:

• improving cardiovascular and respiratory health
• supporting mental health and emotional wellbeing
• reducing smoking rates
• helping people to age well and remain independent
• reducing avoidable hospital admissions
• improving access to GP and community services

Many programmes focus on proactive care for people living with frailty and long-term conditions.

Working in partnership

West Essex is part of the Essex Integrated Care Board and works closely with local partners to improve health and care services.

Partners include:

• The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) (hosts of the partnership) 
• Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) 
• Essex County Council 
• Primary Care Networks 
• Epping Forest District Council
• Harlow District Council
• Uttlesford District Council
• Healthwatch Essex
• Voluntary Sector partners: WECAN, UCAN, Rainbow Services, Voluntary Action Epping Forest
• St Clare Hospice 

Integrated neighbourhood teams are strengthening collaboration between professionals and supporting more personalised care closer to home.

Decisions are informed by population health data, community insight and local feedback.

Place-based programmes and local initiatives

Partners across west Essex deliver a range of local programmes designed to improve community health and wellbeing.

These initiatives focus on:

• prevention and early intervention
• mental health support
• frailty and falls prevention
• community resilience
• reducing pressure on urgent and emergency care