A £2 million prevention programme aimed at improving people’s health and wellbeing across South Gloucestershire has delivered 11 innovative projects which have helped residents of all ages to live better and improve their health and wellbeing.
The Prevention Programme, which is backed by local government and NHS funding, was launched two years ago with a focus on four strategic areas:
- Start well projects to help families give their children the best start in life
- Live well projects to identify and help vulnerable residents as early as possible including people with complex needs, those on lower incomes or who face financial challenges and victims of discrimination, domestic or gender-based violence
- Age Well projects enabling older people to stay healthy and independent for longer
- Community in Action – working in new ways with communities and the voluntary sector to improve health, wellbeing and care outcomes.
Mental health and wellbeing was a key consideration across all areas of the programme.
Projects included a new team of family link workers to support families from the earliest opportunity when a child’s school attendance drops; cost of living support; five new health and happiness hubs for adults, Village Agents who support isolated residents in rural areas; and continuing work to stop violence against women and girls.
Another project in collaboration with Age UK South Gloucestershire has supported older residents with things like overgrown gardens and large amounts of rubbish in their home. The project has prevented the need for enforcement notices and enabled older people to stay in their home as well as connecting them to local services to reduce the debilitating loneliness the project found some people were experiencing.
Councillor Alison Evans, cabinet member responsible for public health at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “Prevention is so important, and South Gloucestershire is really leading the way in this crucial work which is making a difference to people’s lives.
“We are making sure our residents can start, live and age well.”
Sarah Weld, Director of Public Health in South Gloucestershire, said: “The intention of the Prevention programme was to enable us to change the way we work in South Gloucestershire.
“In collaboration with the South Gloucestershire Locality Partnership, the programme has brought partners from the council, NHS and voluntary and community sector together in new ways and put prevention at the heart of our work for health and wellbeing.
“It has been so positive to see the impact on local people.”
Initial evaluation of the projects has been carried out by the University of the West of England, which found that the Prevention Fund has delivered significant economic benefits through reduced demand on health and social services, improved workforce productivity and enhanced quality of life.
A video is available here https://youtu.be/_9LvPpp5cmw
