Abstract
There is ongoing international debate about if, and how, HIA should be integrated into the policy process. This Chapter presents a case study of England, UK, which has been at the forefront of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) theory and practice since its inception in the early 1980s. It outlines how the IA process works in England; how HIA is embedded within the Government IA process; findings from an evaluation into how HIA was used by Government Departments between 20072009; and a discussion of the barriers and facilitating factors to the consideration of health and wellbeing and use of HIA in government policy and decisionmaking. The Chapter demonstrates that while HIA is one important way of achieving health in all policies it must be blended with allied approaches both strategic and methodological – in order for health and wellbeing to be routinely, systematically and comprehensively considered in national and international policies.