Cardiff achieved Healthy Cities status and membership of the WHO European Network of Healthy
Cities Phase V in October 2009. The aim in applying for designation was to facilitate the
development of a co-ordinated approach to tackling the issues of health equity and health
improvement in Cardiff.
Achieving Healthy City status demonstrates the commitment of partners to address health issues
and does not mean that the city is regarded as having achieved good health for all. The WHO
Europe recommends a basic model for a healthy city and seeks to put health high on the political
and social agenda of cities.
The overarching goal of the fifth phase of the WHO European Healthy Cities Network is to embed
health and health equity in all local policies and deliver on the three core themes: caring and
supportive environments, healthy living and healthy urban design