Recent figures may show that the residents of Nuneaton and Bedworth are not as healthy as they could be, but following the numerous projects across the borough it is getting better, and these achievements have now been nationally recognised!

Work to reduce the health inequalities within the borough is a priority for Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and working with our partners we have carried out projects such as:

Setting up a community based weight management/healthy lifestyle project in partnership with PCT. Currently classes in disadvantaged areas have 170 members, all setting a 10% weight loss goal, with 67% achieving their goal and more!
Targeting men through health screening in social clubs and pubs in disadvantaged areas, from which 145 had undergone the screening as at January this year.
Outreach work to enable a group of eight mental health service users and a group of 39 ethnic minority women to access the Bedworth Healthy Living Centre for the first time.

Representatives of Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council and the Healthy Living Network were on hand at the award ceremony in London, as one of six finalists in the National Municipal Journal Award for Achievement in Health Inequalities. The Borough’s representatives were delighted to collect the award.

Councillor Jeff Clarke, Cabinet member for health and environment, who was present to receive the award said:

“I was delighted to receive this award on behalf of all the partners who have worked so closely together over the years to address the challenge of health inequalities in the Borough. We still have a long way to go but it is very satisfying to receive independent recognition that what we are already doing locally is good practice on a national level. There are many more innovative projects in the pipeline, and we are now looking forward to continually making improvements to reduce these health inequalities.”

Sonya Johnson, manager of the Healthy Living Network, was also on hand at the award ceremony. Sonia said:

"The Healthy Living Network is delighted that all the hard work and commitment of partners locally has been acknowledged in this way. It is inspirational for the workers who put so much effort into making our communities healthier"

Councillor Geoff Ashford, shadow cabinet member for health and environment said:

“I am overjoyed that the Council has won this national award for its work on health inequalities. It shows the seriousness we have placed on tackling health inequalities in the Borough and I hope the direction set by the award is carried forward into the future”

Other key partners in addressing health inequalities in the Borough include the Nuneaton and Bedworth Leisure Trust, the County Council, the Primary Care Trust, Children’s Centres, Age Concern and Warwickshire Community and Voluntary Action.

Here are just some of the achievements of the partner agencies working in the Borough:

Over £1m was secured to refurbish Bedworth Leisure Centre into a Healthy Living Centre, one of the first of its kind in the country

Nuneaton & Bedworth became a “Smoke Free” Council on 1st April 2007, three months ahead of legislation

Targeted physical activity and healthy eating services for children with serious obesity problems and for young people in foster care.

“Ready 4 Anything” gym sessions for 7-11 year olds in Bedworth Healthy Living Centre.

Services have also been targeted at other sectors of the community, such as elderly Asian women, to enable them to carry out chair based exercises.

A Lifestyle Consultant who works with over 45 years olds in the disadvantaged areas to improve physical activity levels; increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, reducing obesity and the risk of early onset coronary heart disease, stroke, some cancers, and type 2 diabetes.

Health visitors at the Bedworth Healthy Living Centre who provide routine child health checks, and are able to assess those who find a medical building threatening.

About 1,600 disabled user visits in per annum at the Bedworth Healthy Living Centre

Wellness Matters centre in Nuneaton town centre to provide a convenient hub for the delivery of community based services, and a base for outreach ‘health trainers’.

We are developing exciting new projects using over £200,000 from the Communities for Health Fund, allocated by the Department of Health, focusing on childhood obesity and physical activity

£100,000 of “Narrowing the Gap” funding received through the Warwickshire Local Area Agreement will be invested in further outreach work and sexual health initiatives targeted at our key health inequality issues over the next 12 months.

Benefits advice to break the recognised cycle of poverty and ill health, securing over £900,000 in additional benefits for clients

Targeted older people to reduce social isolation, establishing social networks of exercise classes and informal healthy eating sessions (10 community led physical activity classes, 5 weight management classes, 1 sheltered accommodation providing exercise equipment)

A child home safety scheme to over 960 low income families, fitting 900 smoke alarms in addition to those provided by the fire service, providing Health Visitors access to over 1,000 families they might ordinarily find difficult to reach, and resulting in a reduction in the number of child accidents in the home. 83% of recipient families report making additional changes to keep their children safe.

A counselling service to young people experiencing family breakdown in two schools which has consequently been funded by the Children’s Fund to 16 other schools across Warwickshire

Worked with young families to improve literacy levels, and parenting skills, resulting in 350 additional people taking up Library membership that were sustained over a 12 month period and beyond. Increased attendance at Children’s Centres by 23%.

Met with 2,500 people on their territory as part of the Healthy Neighbourhood Project, resulting in six sustainable community led and run projects, ranging from “Bums & Tums” classes to physical activity classes for pre-school children and their families, supported by 7 local people who achieved accredited training and now work as volunteers.

Introduced a community based weight management/healthy lifestyle project in partnership with PCT as an alternative to commercial slimming classes. Currently ten weekly classes in disadvantaged areas have 170 members, all setting a 10% weight loss goal, with 67% achieving their goal and more, development of a volunteer programme to ensure sustainability, with exercise classes attached to two of the classes.

Outreach work to enable a group of eight mental health service users and a group of 39 ethnic minority women to access the Bedworth Healthy Living Centre for the first time. As a result a women’s swimming group has now been introduced at the Centre one evening a week. 25 people signed up for “Passport to Leisure Scheme” providing subsidised exercise opportunities. The Mental Health Service Users’ Group now regularly walk to the Centre to access mainstream services independently.

A summer volunteer programme of street health checks have provided work experience for 15 dietetic students and student nurses. They identified 20 people with high blood pressure, and four with high cholesterol who were signposted to their GP. In addition, the weight management classes received 15 new members who were signposted by the event and have now all achieved 10% weight loss and reported improved health.

In 2008 men are being targeted through health screening in social clubs and pubs in disadvantaged areas. 5 venues have signed up for the monthly programme and by January 8th, 145 people had undergone screening of whom 115 were referred to their GP for immediate advice.

Sunday 12 October 2008