Healthy Precinct Framework (HPF)

These domains are supported by Digital Tools, Partnerships, and Capability and Data as enablers to help residents adopt healthier behaviours such as physical activity, healthy eating, sleep hygiene and social connectedness.

The Healthy Precinct Framework’s Actionable Domains 

1) Community Empowerment:  

Building health literacy and strengthening social networks empowers residents to support one another – creating resilient, health-conscious communities. 

Enabler: Movements for Health (M4H) 

M4H is a ground-up social health movement model that equips local groups called Community Movement Champions (CMCs) with skills, resources and networks to inspire healthier behaviours in their communities. CMCs play a critical role in building community capacity through improving health literacy, developing resources and toolkits, mobilising volunteers and creating opportunities for meaningful participation and co-creation. Through these efforts, residents become more aware and take greater ownership of their health and wellbeing. 

2. Built Environment:  

Neighbourhood design shapes daily behaviour. By increasing walkability, improving access to nutritious food and encouraging social interaction, healthier choices become easier for residents. 

Enabler: EAT-Lite and Community Improvement Walks   

EAT-Lite is a streamlined version of the Environmental Audit Toolkit (EAT), developed by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) in collaboration with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA). Implemented through Community Improvement Walks (CIWs), residents and stakeholders assess local environments, provide feedback and identify factors that support or hinder healthy behaviours such as outdoor activities and social interactions. CIWs are organised in collaboration with key stakeholders such as Town Councils, the Housing & Development Board (HDB), Grassroots Organisations, industry experts, and other relevant agencies.  

3. Care & Support:  

Access to health and social services is strengthened by helping providers coordinate care and guide residents to the right support at the right time. 

Enabler: Digital Local Connect (DLC) 

DLC is a precinct-based digital tool that maps local services and resources, fosters collaboration among health, social, and community partners, and builds local networks to improve coordination – helping providers guide and refer residents to appropriate health and social care services. 

Aim Statement

To build integrated precinct-level networks that connect healthcare, social and community partners to galvanise community-led health promotion, supported by digital tools and local engagement to drive behavioural change at scale.  

Why it matters

Studies show that up to 60% of health outcomes are shaped by social and behavioural factors ↗ (opens in new tab), compared to 10% by healthcare factors alone ↗ (opens in new tab). HPF integrates health with community and environmental design so that prevention and healthy living can become part of daily life. 

Summary

• Population: General population, with a particular focus on seniors and vulnerable groups within precincts. 

• Intervention: A precinct-level framework that integrates health-promoting strategies into residents’ everyday lives through coordinated action across three domains:

  • Community empowerment

  • Built environment enhancements

  • Care and support services integration   
    
    -> These are enabled by digital tools, a data-informed approach and multi-sector partnerships at the precinct-level.

• Comparators: 

  • Precincts not adopting the HPF approach (traditional or siloed delivery of health and social services). 

  • Existing standalone health promotion initiatives. 

• Outcomes:  

  • Improved coordination and alignment among healthcare, social and community services in health promotion. 

  • Enhanced community health literacy and participation in health-promoting activities. 

  • Better health and wellbeing outcomes among residents, especially seniors (e.g. increased physical activity, better nutrition, improved chronic disease management). 

Key Results To Date

HPF and its initiatives and digital tools have been implemented to support behavioural change across multiple precincts: 

• System Integration: HPF, along with its enablers comprising digital tools (such as Digital Local Connect, EAT-Lite) and the Movements for Health (M4H) initiative, has been integrated across the three Regional Health System (RHS) clusters and partner agencies. Currently, HPF has been implemented across 16 precincts in Singapore’s western region, managed by NUHS. 

• M4H is a successful, replicable social health movement model. The M4H model has gained traction with partners such as Bold At Work, a social innovation specialist that serves as the M4H community coach,and NHG Health, which is committed to sustaining and extending the approach as the M4H Sectoral Coach. The key enablers and resources for continuity are in place. Bold At Work has developed a Movements Guidebook, “Design the Good Life,” ↗ (opens in new tab)  as a training resource, and an evaluation study on M4H’s outcomes by the NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (NUS SSHSPH) was completed as of FY2025.  

• Insights informing research: In 2025, HPF was introduced to researchers involved in PRISMS as a framework for study. PRISMS (Population Mental Health Risk Prediction via Linkage of Multi-Modal Spatiotemporal Environmental Data to Population-Representative, Longitudinal Clinical Measures of Individual Mental Health) is a research project supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) andt he Ministry of National Development (MND), focused on developing a human-centred built environment framework aimed at enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of residents. In addition, HPF has also been introduced by the URA as a framework to support the integration of the built environment and health, including within the upcoming Healthy Cities research collaboration under RIE2030.   

• Research, evaluation and the development of playbooks are underway to support adoption and scaling.