A Quick Guide to Health Champions

Transcription

1 A Quick Guide to Health Champions August 2011

2 Health Champions A Quick Guide to Health Champions This guide has been created to give you an insight into the work that has been done to develop Health Champions and the role that they play. It will also give you an insight into an innovative project that is going on to develop local councillors to be health champions out in their communities. What are Health Champions? Individuals who are engaged, trained and supported to volunteer and use their life experience, understanding and position of influence to help their friends, families and work colleagues lead healthier lives. Health champions are trained on the national NHS accreditation course by the Royal Society for Public Health Qualification - Level 2 Health Improvement. Health Champions at a Glance Social Action for Health is an important public health empowerment process to tackle the social determinants of health through health improvement, health literacy and aiming at better outcomes for health. Empowerment is important as it directly improves individual s ability to control, which leads to higher esteem. Better qualifications and skills lead to better paid employment, a better quality of life and improved social skills. Page 1

3 Health Champions in Practice The health champions programme is a prime example of a public health initiative intended to address individual, community and environmental factors to improve health and wellbeing. The model is based on recruiting individuals from a number of settings including; workplace, neighbourhoods, community groups, business and young people informal and formal settings. Health champions are individuals who are trained and supported to volunteer and draw from their own life experiences, understanding and networks to influence individuals health and wellbeing. Health champions are individuals who possess the experience, enthusiasm and skills to encourage and support other individuals and communities to engage in health promotion activities. They also ensure that the health issues facing communities remain high on the agenda of organisations that can effect change. Health champions offer local authorities and community partnerships short term support as consultants, encourage them to share good practice and help them develop activities to improve the health of local people. National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, 2008:40 Page 2

4 Health Champions Role & Function of Health Champions Within central Lancashire there are two models of health champions, adults in workplace and neighbourhoods and young people trained to provide peer support across young people s settings. Settings for young people can include for example NEET, college, schools and both informal and formal youth provision such as scouts etc. equally across the NHS Central Lancashire footprint; o Individuals who are engaged, trained and supported to inspire and help their friends, families, neighbours and work colleagues lead more healthy lives o Effective health promoters within their own communities o Enhancing volunteering skills and improving health and social benefits to individuals who become involved o Effective ways of engagement, where people face barriers to making healthy choices o The role can be applied across different health issues and settings o Trained up to Royal Society for Public Health Qualification Level two The health champions service has the potential to link into public health initiatives such as mental wellbeing, empowerment, advocacy, physical activity, community development, NHS Health Checks Programme, weight management care pathways, vaccination & immunisation, cancer screening and sexual health. Page 3

5 Impact on Health and Wellbeing Good evidence base on the effectiveness of health champions in: o Increasing knowledge and awareness of health issues in communities and workplace; o Helping people access health services including increasing uptake of preventive measures such as immunisation and screening; o Supporting positive behaviour changes, particularly when working with disadvantaged, low income or minority ethnic communities; o Improving people s health literacy. Examples of Health Champions in Different Settings o Walking for Health Leaders o Breastfeeding Peer Supporters o Bi-lingual Outreach workers o Coaches in local sports clubs o Pharmacy advisors Page 4

6 Health Champions Championing Health in Your Community Health Champions have been trained and developed in all kinds of settings. Earlier this year North West Employers began to develop in conjunction with the RSPH a programme to develop local councillors to be health champions. This programme was named Championing Health in Your Community. This programme has been developed through a partnership between North West Employers and RSPH. It combines the solid foundation of the RSPH Level 2 Understanding Health Improvement Award and a focus on the unique position that councillors hold and how this can be used to powerfully influence health and wellbeing inequalities in their local area. The course takes a practical and pragmatic approach to championing health and wellbeing focusing on working with delegates to help them to understand and navigate the key terms and concepts of health and wellbeing. The course explores practical tools and approaches councillors can use both in the community, and in influencing the decision making processes that affect health and wellbeing within their authorities. Page 5

7 The key areas covered are: Understanding health and wellbeing A look at the National Policy changes in relation to health and wellbeing A focus on local health and wellbeing inequalities and how local councillors can positively influence them Practical tools and techniques How decisions local government make affect health and wellbeing The role of the councillor health champion The course has been developed so that it is suitable for both upper tier and district councils as well as addressing the challenges faced by both ward councillors and those within leadership roles in relation to health and wellbeing. Useful Links Volunteering England Health Champions Case Study Page 6

8 Talk to us For general enquiries about this Quick Guide or for more information on North West Employers : Tom Goodwin E: tomg@nwemployers.org.uk T: For more information on the work going on in Central Lancashire : Gulab Singh Assistant Director Healthy Communities & Preston Healthy City Coordinator, NHS Central Lancashire E: Gulab.singh@centrallancashire.nhs.uk T: Talk to each other Register and start using the regions new virtual communication platform North West Connex - Guides in this series: A Councillors Role in Public Health Health Terminology Workplace Health Health Reform The Role of VCFS in Public Health Local Goverment Terminology Health Inequalities Health Literacy Health Champions