25 February 2019
2019 Initiatives
- ‘Good Food & Drinks = Best Care’ initiative across Safeguarding establishments
- Merchants Partnership – Smarter Snacks
- Realistic healthier lunch options – schools and parents
- Healthier adapted take-away food
- Workforce Wellbeing – integration and expansion of the ‘MOTs’
- Support development / integration of SHG Workforce Wellbeing
- Support links of prevention work with the Health Service’s developing Chronic Disease Management
- Stakeholder participative planning process for 2020-21
The Health Promotion Strategic Framework (HPSF) 2018-19 launched in May 2018 to provide a new strategic approach to prevent the major chronic diseases on the Island. A range of strategies were delivered in 2018 and there are signs of positive early impacts from these, including Smoke Free Government, Merchants Partnership, Healthy Hospital Food, and Work Force Wellbeing.
In 2019, further priorities are planned to sustain momentum under the HPSF to reduce overweight/obesity and smoking which are the leading preventable risk factors for the conditions that most affect health in the St Helena community.
Working with a wide range of stakeholder partners in the community and across SHG, key initiatives for 2019 include:
‘Good Food & Drinks = Best Care’ initiative across Safeguarding establishments
The Healthy Hospital Food model has been adapted for use across all Safeguarding establishments and a new initiative ‘Good Food & Drinks = Best Care’ will launch on 1 March 2019. This will ensure healthier food & drinks options’ preferences, across five residential settings, including food & drinks brought in by visitors. A separate press release will issue on this shortly.
Merchants Partnership – Smarter Snacks
Phase 2 of the Merchants Partnership will focus on developing supply and range of healthier snack and lunch options and helping customers identify which these are. These will include popular, tasty and affordable choices so people can swap and reduce the higher fat, higher sugar, higher salt snacks they may regularly have.
Realistic healthier lunch options – schools and parents
In partnership with the Education Directorate, all primary schools will be participating in an initiative starting in February. This will involve children, staff and parents, applying realistic practical advice to make healthier pack lunches with items that are commonly used, easy to get, affordable, and popular with the children.
Healthier adapted take-away food
Working with take-away food providers, work is underway to identify and make small adjustments to combine taste with being healthier. One major outlet has successfully trialled their modified menu of their popular take-away dishes.
Workforce Wellbeing – integration and expansion of the ‘MOTs’
Workforce Wellbeing programme to be further developed and owned by Directorates. This will be undertaken in partnership with Corporate Human Resources and include more flexibility in the use of ‘activity time’, teams developing their own challenges, and more staff input in deciding how to improve their wellbeing at work. MOT sessions to support staff look after their health will continue for teams in SHG that have not had these yet, and also these will start to be available for private sector companies, starting with the largest employers.
Support links of prevention work with the Health Service’s developing Chronic Disease Management
In 2019, guidance and support will be given to assist in developing the Chronic Disease Management (CDM) under the Island’s health care service. The HPSF focuses on ‘primary prevention’ – helping people stay well and reduce risk of major health problems, while ‘secondary prevention’ or CDM helps people who have a chronic condition reduce their risk of worsened symptoms and to help them have a better quality of life despite their condition. Many of the issues are similar and so some of the opportunities that the HPSF has been putting in place to help people look after their health will be linked in to these new services. An early example is a successful bid for funded support from an expert team from the University of Stirling to train Island health staff in providing motivational support for people trying to adjust a health-related behaviour such as smoking or weight.
Stakeholder participative planning process for 2020-21
Later in the year, stakeholders from different sectors and parts of the community will have the opportunity to be involved in making the prevention plan for 2020-21. The aim will be to consolidate progress from 2018-19 and to further develop the work to reduce the Island’s biggest causes of ill health.
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SHG
25 February 2019