Public Health

Barnsley MBC

‘How’s thi ticker?’ a targeted community blood pressure campaign

We want all Barnsley residents to enjoy a life in good physical and mental health and to be able to access the right support, at the right time and place and to tackle problems early. ‘How’s Thi Ticker?’ (HTT) is an evidence based, targeted, outreach blood pressure campaign supporting these aims. Using data and local insights, HTT developed with the target audience at the heart of everything we did from the name, the branding, the resources, the staff and the locations attended. HTT has been an amazing local success and continues to develop to meet the needs of local people.

Colchester City Council

Essex pedal power

Essex Pedal Power is a partnership project led by Essex County Council and The Active Wellbeing Society (TAWS) working with Tendring District Council, Basildon Council and Colchester City Council, Sport England and Wheels to Wellbeing to provide local communities in the most deprived parts of Essex with free standard bikes on a loan-to-give-away basis, subject to regular use and adapted bikes for those who require adjustments or bespoke bikes to make them accessible for loan.

Medway Council

Tobacco control and stop smoking service

The tobacco control initiatives in Medway form a linchpin of the public health agenda, wielding a multifaceted impact across the broader system. By implementing robust policies, delivering of interventions, and fostering awareness campaigns, these efforts have significantly reduced smoking prevalence, thus curbing related health risks and illnesses. This proactive approach not only enhances community health but also alleviates the burden on healthcare resources. This effect extends beyond individual health benefits, influencing societal norms and behaviours. Through collaborative endeavours, Medway's tobacco control work acts as a catalyst for broader systemic changes, promoting healthier lifestyles and bolstering the overall public health.

Sandwell MBC

Sandwell better mental health programme

In 2021/22 Sandwell MBC Public Health secured £391,272 funding from OHID’s Prevention and Promotion Fund for Better Mental Health. A suite of projects was identified to provide evidence-based interventions and direct support to improve mental health and wellbeing for key groups across the life course, including parents of young children, working age men and those from ethnic minority communities, and through building knowledge and capacity within the voluntary and community sector. Evaluation showed significant improvements in self-rated wellbeing and positive feedback from project leads and participants. Further funding was identified to continue and expand the programme for another three years.

Sandwell MBC

Healthy Ageing App Public Health Project

The Healthy Ageing Project, a collaboration between Health Fabric and Sandwell Council's Public Health team, is a ground-breaking initiative aimed at enhancing healthcare inclusivity and accessibility in Sandwell's diverse community. Centred around the UNITY Digital Health Platform, the project focuses on delivering multilingual, culturally sensitive self-care content. Innovations like AI-based videos and community-specific portals have significantly improved engagement and accessibility, particularly for non-readers. The project's future expansion includes its’ rollout to Sandwell's entire population of 344,000 citizens and a collaboration with GPs, integrating with EMIS to facilitate direct dissemination of health resources, ensuring a comprehensive, equitable healthcare system.

Suffolk CC with Turning Point

From the bottom to the top – a tale of performance improvement in the treatment of opiate addiction

Opiate users have a mortality rate ten times that of the general population. This group often have complex needs (housing, mental health etc) and an effective response requires a whole system approach. Suffolk County Council, working with Turning Point and a network of local partners, has seen a dramatic transformation in the numbers successfully completing opiate treatment, moving from the bottom of the bottom quartile to the top of the top quartile among similar authorities. A data-led service development plan, reviewed and updated quarterly with timebound actions assigned to named owners has been instrumental in driving improved performance.

Swindon BC

Dads at their best – reducing inequalities for young fathers and their children

Dads at their Best was developed to reduce inequalities for young Fathers and their children. Evidence of the Family Nurse Partnership model, engagement with Fathers and with young men was triangulated to create a unique offer. The young men engaged are particularly complex with high levels of risk including deprivation, poor mental health, criminality, drug use, domestic abuse and some pose a risk to their babies. External evaluation has proven the programme effective in its early stages with positive feedback from young Fathers and other services. FNP is sharing this learning locally and nationally enabling reach into other areas.

Tendring DC

Pedal power in Tendring

In 2020, Active Essex pitched the idea of a free bikes scheme as part of the Essex Local Delivery Pilot, to test new ways of getting people active in the most disadvantaged and deprived communities. The concept was simple; remove the biggest barrier to cycling in deprived areas (the cost of a decent bike), and you can change the demographics and image of cycling forever. Piloted in Clacton and Jaywick, two of Essex’s most deprived areas. As a result Tendring's health indices have improved by 4.7% , the bikes are being used to access jobs, quality food and physical activity. 

Worcestershire CC

Taking a partnership approach to reducing smoking in pregnancy

This submission outlines the evidence-based, partnership approach taken by Worcestershire County Council to achieve a significant and sustained reduction in smoking in pregnancy rates not seen for many years. Public Health have been progressing a new partnership with midwifery and wider partners to drive down smoking in pregnancy rates. Public Health led key system partners to utilise an evidence based, self-assessment approach to identify action areas within the local maternity and postnatal system. Successful outcomes include increased identification of smokers, new workforce training, a new postnatal support offer and improved service outcomes across the antenatal and postnatal pathway 

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