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The strategy sets out a shared aim to reduce health inequalities, improve the health and wellbeing of people living and working in North Somerset, and to enable organisations, communities, and residents to come together around a single vision for North Somerset. The strategy and its action plan have been developed in partnership with organisations across North Somerset.
Many measures of health and wellbeing in North Somerset are good and the area compares well with national averages. However, there are inequalities in experience between different groups and across the area.
The strategy takes account of data about North Somerset’s biggest health and wellbeing concerns, and evidence about the most effective interventions.
It sets out three main approaches to improving health and wellbeing across North Somerset:
- Prevention: preventing people from becoming unwell or having poor health and wellbeing
- Early intervention: supporting people to identify and manage health and wellbeing problems as early as possible, making sure the right support is in place
- Thriving communities: focusing on the wider determinants of health and working with partners across the health and wellbeing system to support communities to thrive
The strategy aims to bring about improvements in key priority areas of mental health, food and healthy eating, physical activity, substance use (including alcohol and tobacco use) and the wider determinants of health. The action plan targets these areas to improve health and wellbeing for people of all ages.
Cllr Mike Bell, Deputy Leader of North Somerset Council and Chair of North Somerset’s Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “The Health and Wellbeing Board’s vision is for people to be enabled to optimise their health and wellbeing and to lead long, happy and productive lives in thriving communities, building on their strengths in a way that reduces inequalities in health.
“It’s great to see how organisations across North Somerset have worked in partnership to develop the strategy and action plan. We’re very grateful to members of the public, individuals, and organisations for contributing their thoughts and ideas to shape development of the strategy.
“All of us in North Somerset have a part to play in making the area a healthier place to live, to make changes to improve their own health and wellbeing and to help support others to do the same.
“This strategy will help us to come together and focus on priority areas that really matter to residents and those working in health and wellbeing alike.”
Colin Bradbury, Vice-Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Board and Area Director for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “Publishing the strategy and beginning our work on the action plan is a big step in tackling health inequalities in our area. We know that there is a lot to do to improve health and wellbeing and that the differences in experience across our area are quite stark.
“The action plan highlights areas where we can make a difference and includes a range of actions where we can measure progress.
“Over the next three years we’ll be monitoring improvements and reporting back on the difference that our work is making across North Somerset.”
Read the strategy in full at www.n-somerset.gov.uk/healthwellbeingstrategy. You can get in touch with North Somerset Council’s Public Health team by emailing health-wellbeing@n-somerset.gov.uk.
North Somerset Council’s Health Trainers have supported thousands of people in North Somerset to improve their health and wellbeing. If you are looking for help and support to lead a healthier lifestyle contact them by emailing health.trainers@n-somerset.gov.uk, call 01934 427 661 or go to www.n-somerset.gov.uk/healthtrainers.