New video shows how partnerships and local communities are improving the lives and health of local residents

A new video launched this week, shows how organisations in Shropshire are working together to identify and support people who have potential health and well-being concerns.

The film produced by Shropshire Council in partnership with Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS’s) illustrates SFRS’s recently launched Safe and Well visits.

Councillor Lee Chapman and Councillor Joyce Barrow with Laura Kavanagh-Jones and James Bainbridge from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service

Safe and Well visits replace the Home Fire Safety check and are provided free of charge by the SFRS to vulnerable people living in the county.  The visits were launched in July and see fire officers provide fire safety advice as well as identify potential health and wellbeing concerns.

As well as checking smoke alarms and fire risks, fire officers now look out for risk of slips, trips and falls, signs of loneliness and isolation, discuss lifestyles and check if there is adequate heating in the home. If a person is seen to be affected by any of these issues, then the fire officer refers them (having had their permission) to the appropriate organisation for further advice and support.

Shropshire’s Safe and Well visits was first trialled in Oswestry as part of Shropshire’s Healthy Lives programme, a partnership initiative led by Shropshire Council.

Shropshire’s Healthy Lives programme

The Healthy Lives programme is currently being piloted in Oswestry and looks at how organisations and local communities can better support individuals, families and neighbourhoods to take more control over their health and well-being, to help them remain safe and reduce their risk of ill health.

As well as Safe and Well visits, other areas of the programme, include;

• Falls prevention
• Carers,
• Social prescribing
• Diabetes and Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) prevention
• Mental health

The idea behind the health prevention programme is to help identify peoples’ health and wellbeing concerns much earlier on, and to help them seek advice and support either within their local community or with an appropriate organisation.

By identifying health and wellbeing risks much earlier can help prevent people developing serious ill health or long term conditions such as diabetes.  This approach can prove extremely effective in helping communities become more self-supporting and resilient, allowing residents to have more control around the support available to them, as well as helping to ease the growing pressures in health and social care.

Councillor Lee Chapman, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing said;

“It is our ambition in ensure Shropshire people become the healthiest and most fulfilled in England. The only way to achieve this ambition is to work in partnership with our partners and local communities.

“Shropshire’s Health Lives programme is one of the many initiatives we are developing as part of Shropshire’s Sustainability Transformation Partnerships.

“We are really proud to be a part of this video with our partners Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.  This is a great example of how by working together, we can help address the needs of our most vulnerable people at a much earlier stage.

“I would encourage everyone to watch this film which gives you an insight into the Safe and Well visits and the benefits to those who have received them.”

Councillor Joyce Barrow, Cabinet Member for Communities at Shropshire Council and Local Member for St Oswald added;

“Shropshire Council’s community enablement and public health teams have been working closely with local fire officers and other organisations to look at how residents and local communities can take more control over their health and reduce their risk of ill health.

“As a result of this, Shropshire’s Safe and Well visits have proved to be extremely successful having already made 104 referrals since its launch.

“I would really like to thank all those who contributed to the making of this film, in particularly to our Oswestry family who have offered up their time to take part in this.”

Chief Officer at Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service Rod Hammerton added;

“Safe and Well is all about working in partnership to deliver a safer Shropshire. We aim to make every contact count by identifying those most at risk and referring them for appropriate support. By working closely with Shropshire Council we are able to pool resources and knowledge to deliver enhanced community safety.”

To view the video click here.

For more information about Shropshire’s Healthy Lives programme which includes information about the Safe and Well visits and video go to https://www.shropshirechoices.org.uk/myhealth

For information about Shropshire’s Safe and Well visits, go to https://www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/.

Further information

Shropshire’s Healthy Lives programme forms part of the ‘Out of Hospital’ stream of Shropshire’s Sustainability Transformation Partnerships (STP).

What is Shropshire’s STP?

Everyone deserves good quality, safe, health and social care services that make the best possible use of taxpayers’ money.  The standard of care should be the same whether you need physical, mental health or social care services, support with conditions associated with learning difficulties, or a combination of all of these.

The services you use most of the time should be as close to where you live as possible, as long as this is safe and the local health and care system can afford this. For the vast majority of the time you should go home as soon as treatment is completed.

Sustainability Transformation Partnerships (STP) is a national initiative but developed locally.  STP brings local leaders and local people to work together to join up and improve health and care within the budgets available to us.  Developing plans together to:

• transform neighbourhood services
• create safe and effective hospital care
• take advantage of new technology
• recruit and retain a motivated and well trained workforce
• live within means

Shropshire is one of 44 STPs across England.  For more information about Sustainability Transformation Partnerships visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/stps/