‘Taking local action to improve the health and quality of life of the people of Wigtownshire’

Annual Report 2014

Introduction

Welcome to the first Annual Report of The Wigtownshire Health and Well Being Partnership. This has been a really busy year which has seen a variety of activities and initiatives delivered throughout Wigtownshire with a variety of partners.

Since the Partnership has been set up many new members have came forward and there has been a real interest in becoming involved .In May this year , the Stranraer Community HMI Inspection Report highlighted this way of working as good practice. However, it was also acknowledged that we need to further develop more effective planning and evaluation methods. Across Dumfries and Galloway we now have Health and Well Being Partnerships working in each of the 4 localities. They are all working to support and improve the overall health well being of local people.

Demographics are changing and showing an increase of older people and decrease of younger people living in our locality. It will be necessary to look at working in different ways to deliver and sustain services. To address this shift in demographics we are at present in a period of change and are looking forward to the imminent integration of Health and Social Care Services.

There is a need for all of us to work together, looking at developing community engagement, participation and further supporting volunteering opportunities.

I hope that you find our Annual Report interesting and would appreciate any comments or feedback.

Finally, can I say a huge thank you to everyone involved in the Partnership for commitment and ongoing support and look forward to building a stronger Partnership in the future.

Julie Currie (Chair)

PHP

The objectives of the Partnership are to –

The partnership consists of three sub-groups –

Risky Behaviour

Chaired by Gary Small

Food and Physical Activity

Chaired by John McNaught

Community Resilience

Chaired by Donna Hoodless

Through the three sub-groups the partnership works within the framework of the Dumfries and Galloway Single Outcome Agreement (SOA)towards the visions of “ working together to create an ambitious, prosperous and confident Dumfries and Galloway where people achieve their potential”

The work of the partnership contributes to all of the SOA priorities –

Accounts

Credit / Debit / Balance
Health and Wellbeing Partnership (overall) / £39.875.85 / £5246 / £34,629.85
Resilient communities / £25,000.00 / £4,011.00 / £20,989.00
Food & Physical Activity / £8105.92 / £900.00 / £7205.92
Risky Behaviour / £1634.93 / £335.00 / £1334.93
Unallocated / £5135.00 / £0.00 / £5135.00

Membership

Examples of work from around Wigtownshire -

Risky Behaviours

Stopathon

The Stopathon was a ‘countdown to quit’ challenge for smokers in Stranraer which also hoped to raise awareness of support available locally for anyone who wants to quit smoking. It was run by the risky behaviours group along with the Smoking Matters Service in November 2013.

The campaign was promoted through partner agencies and with the use of banners, fliers, posters, social media, newspapers, schools and local businesses.

The campaign was a successful and positive piece of work which showcased how partners can work together to deliver a of work that aims to reduce health inequalities faced by those who live in low socio economic conditions. It is planned to run another similar event in 2014 through the Risky behaviour Group.

SEXT UP KIDS: How Children are Becoming Hypersexualized

Wigtownshire Risky behaviour sub group in partnership with Sexual Health D&G and Domestic and Violence Against Women (DAVAW) screened the above DVD at Stranraer Academy on the 17th March 2014. Representatives from NHS, Police Scotland, Education, Social Work and parents attended the event and found the event interesting and useful.

The over arching theme from the viewers were:

  • how young the children were who were being exposed to hyper sexuality,
  • Agencies require more training
  • Parents require to be made aware what their children are being exposed to.

‘Serves as an engaging and thought-provoking entrance into a conversation about the sexualisation of youth for educators, students, and parents... The diversity of visual examples provided from current popular culture makes the film particularly relevant and memorable, and the inclusion of the teen voice provides authenticity and offers a glimpse of the lived experiences of adolescents."

- Journal of Children and Media

The DVD is available to borrow and DAVAWP would be happy to assist any screening: Contact Luis Pombo at the Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women Partnership (DAVAWP) for more details

Gambling

The Risky Behaviour group are in the process of developing an anti-gambling initiative, with a particular focus on gambling and young people. This will be rolled out in 2014/15.

Problem gambling is a widespread and sometimes unrecognised problem, as it is embedded in our culture. The internet provides an unlimited amount of online sites on which people can gamble unregulated. Aside from the financial problems that may result, harm caused by problem gambling can potentially lead to a range of social issues such as –

  • Poor mental health and well being
  • Employability
  • School attendance and achievement
  • Drug and alcohol misuse
  • Homelessness
  • Crime
  • Family cohesion
  • Domestic violence

Alcohol

Dumfries and Galloway’s Relationship with Alcohol Conferencetook place on the 24th September 2013. The conference was attended by around 180 people and the evaluation from the day was very positive. There were opportunities for networking, stalls and a large number of presentations including a number of ‘midget gems’ in the afternoon which were very well received. These covered the Foetal Alcohol Campaign, Alcohol Awareness Week, Social and Community Support, licensing, Sheltered Developments, Alcohol and Sexual Health and Recovery Pathways for People with Alcohol Problems.

The conference helped to promote the Alcohol Awareness Programme of training and delivery, which includes Alcohol Brief Intervention training. A brief intervention can be described as a short, evidence-based, structured conversation about alcohol consumption with a patient/client that seeks in a non-confrontational way to motivate and support the individual to think about and/or plan their drinking behaviour in order to reduce their consumption and/or their risk of harm.

Training in the delivery of Alcohol Brief Interventions can be delivered within Wigtownshire, please contact the Health Improvement Team for further details on 01776 707737 or 01776 707753.

Many agencies within the partnership took part in alcohol awareness week in November 2013, promoting it through media and participating in the day of action. This work will be developed for Alcohol Awareness Week in November 2014.

Stranraer Academy - Health and wellbeing skills for learning, life and work

In the delivery of a Curriculum for Excellence, Scotland’s key education policy, schools are essential to Getting it Right for Every Child and improving outcomes for all children and young people. Taking a life course perspective, school offers the next best opportunity after the family for health behaviour change and improvement.

Developing positive health behaviour skills for learning life and work must meet the needs of children and young people in today’s society. There is growing evidence that traditional approaches to delivering health education/promotion programmes are having limited impact on risk taking behaviour, or improving positive transition into adulthood.

Stranraer Academy is working in partnership to adopting a strength-based approach to the development of new Health and Wellbeing Programme that will provide personal and social learning experiences that aim to build essential life skills; with a particular focus on reducing risk taking behaviours. Pupils, staff, parents and partners have provided their views about how current programmes are experienced and how they can be made more relevant, fresh and interactive. A key aspect of the new programme will be improved planning with partners to ensure coherence, consistency and sustainability,

The new programme will gradually be introduced during the next school session and will be under regular review.

Food and Physical Activity

Building Healthy Communities – Machars

Monday Club (Newton Stewart)– For all adults, activities included are: Pharmaceutical information, healthy cooking, regular gentle exercise, variety of talks regarding health and information from various partners.

Wii Dance / Sport & Fruit Kebabs -

Offered to all ages, these activities encourage active and social play across generations. We deliver to primary schools in the area during their healthy event weeks or as part of their curriculum (Health & Wellbeing subject) as well as youth clubs and other local groups / organisations.

Healthy Eating / Healthy Body

Open to all ages, these sessions advise groups in schools and the local community of the benefits of eating balanced and nutritional meals and the effect food has on the body. Groups can be informed on how to eat healthily on a budget with a range of fresh produce and alternative foods as well as how to reduce food waste.

Building Healthy Communities – West Wigtownshire

Tai Chi for Health -

The beginners classes have progressed well and the volunteers facilitators decided to have the Beginners and advanced classes together. New volunteers have been identified as potential facilitators and names put forward for submission to the Regional Tai chi Sub-committee for selection .This was approved and training has been delivered by the Paul Lam institute for Tai chi for Health and we now have eight new facilitators in West Wigtownshire and Stewartry delivering and supporting the BHC Tai chi for Health programme.

Boccia Group -

West Wigtownshire now have two Boccia groups established, one in Stranraer (Ryan Sports Centre)and the other in the Village of Glen Luce (Bowling Club) , both groups are well attended and incorporates new age curling and table tennis

West Wigtownshire Tambourelli -

The group meet every Friday at the Ryan Sports Centre Stranraer. The Committee are presently planning their summer activities,with the aim of taking tambourelli out of the Region in order to promote it in other communities as a new health and wellbeing activity. Also to promote the young people of Dumfries and Galloway and provide new experiences for the groups young coaches.

Food Life Project -

The present group are at capacity with the group meeting every Monday at the ARC Centre Stranraer. The Vegetable Drop Scheme continues to draw new service users to its availability with a range of service providers referring people. The project had the opportunity to be externally evaluated in March by a 3rd year Degree student from Dundee University on placement with BHC,who spent part of her placement time with the group.This was a very valuable piece of work, which will support the review of the project

Let’s Cook

Since the project’s creation in 2009 ‘lets cook’ has gone from strength to strength. After the project moved from dietetics to be part of the local health improvement teams the parameters for who could benefit from the cookery sessions were widened and the good work started under dietetics benefiting young mums and families was extended to almost all areas of the community. Organisations who have now taken part include Apex, Turning point, Community learning and development projects, ADS, support in mind, homeless organisations, local schools/nurseries across the area and senior citizens in remote parts of the Stewartry and Wigtownshire due to social isolation. Local peer projects, Adult resource centres, youth groups and the Girl guides as well as still providing input for breast feeding groups in the past and with individuals who are unable to take part in groups with sessions in their own homes.

The sessions are usually run in familiar surroundings to the participants and although the back bone of ‘let’s cook’ is ‘healthy eating and cooking from scratch on a budget’ the sessions are fun for those who attend and this encourages what is learnt to be taken in to the maximum. Participants are encouraged to ask questions and are made to feel at ease, even when doing the washing up afterwards – some things never change! Everything cooked/made is taken home in the popular ‘lets cook’ bag and on the last session the participants are given folders with further copies of their recipes cooked, helpful health/safety/hygiene tips, fruit/vegetable portions and a certificate of achievement for taking part.

As the popularity of the project has grown so has the demand for input and so, funding allowing, many more will benefit from Health Improvement’s ‘lets cook’ project and the positive feedback from organisations and their clients will continue to encourage service users to think about what they eat and benefit generations to come

Who Let the Dads Out?

The popular Who Let the Dads Out? project ran again over the winter months of 2013/14. This time the focus was on helping fathers and their P4-P7 primary school children to hone their cooking skills. Twelve dads and 14 children enjoyed creating a variety of dishes, including chicken and vegetable soup, sweet and sour pork and apple crumble. The emphasis was on having fun cooking healthy food together. Kitchen safety and hygiene were important and the children also learnt where different foods come from.

Courses were held in both Newton Stewart and Whithorn community centres, for four weeks each, run as a partnership between CLD and the NHS Let’s Cook programme. At least one father and son now cook supper for the family every Tuesday and another has made cheese scones his signature dish.

Parents going back to school at Park Primary– keeping up with the kids!

Park parents have been coming back to school to learn about health and wellbeing and digital learning. These two courses were school based learning projects for parents and family members. The Bite-sized Learning (BSL) aims to provide ‘Short but Sweet’ educational programmes. The courses do not require a long term commitment and focuses on making small steps towards building new skills. The BSL sessions offer an accessible approach to education.

The cooking ‘Short but Sweet’ course is aimed at Health & Wellbeing and was run with Richard Line from NHS Lets Cook Programme. The course objective was to achieve skills, knowledge and information for parents about – Feeding their family; Cooking cheap and healthy meals; Understanding consumerism; Understanding food labelling; Meal Planning; Informing parents/carers about how health & wellbeing is being taught in schools; To build the skills and ideas so parents/carers can support their children's learning at home in relation to health and wellbeing.

The I.T ‘Short but Sweet’ course is aimed at equipping parents with the confidence and computer skills to use technology and keep up to date with their children’s IT learning. Children are being taught from nursery age about computers and many parents are not able to support them in their technology learning.

These courses are aimed at up-skilling parents to enable them to support their children’s learning and therefore raise attainment but also to foster life-long learning in families.

Child Healthy Weight Programme

Is an exciting, confidential, free programme for children between 2 and 15 who are above a healthy weight for their age and height. It provides support and advice to parents and families and is conducted in the home across the region.

It gives families a chance to chat in confidence about healthy weight and folders are given with lots of hints, tips charts and recipes. Interactive cooking sessions are also available.

There is a local website aimed at young people where they can get advice about healthy eating and physical activity –

For further details on the Child Healthy Weight Programme in Wigtownshire please contact Claire McMurrough on 01556 505724.

Grounds 4 Better Health

Grounds 4 Better Health is a Community Garden Project co-ordinated by Wigtownshire Health Improvement Team. There are two community gardens; one situated at the Galloway Community Hospital and one at Newton Stewart Hospital. The people involved in the development of the community gardens benefit from the physical, mental, social or educational aspects of working within a development project. The gardens are open to anyone to use and enjoy: individuals or groups. A referral form has been developed for GP’s, Health Professionals, Schools, Statutory and Voluntary agencies if they want to refer someone to the community garden project.

Stranraer Child Minding Association - Parents Evening

This event was run in May 2014 in Stranraer, it was open to all parents and the aim was to bring parents and professionals together to share information on child related topics, all helped along by home baking, refreshments and a raffle. Representatives from NHS, Police and Fire Services, Let’s Cook and the Ryan Centre were on hand to give advice on home fire safety, internet safety, cyber bullying, healthy lifestyle and physical activity.