iHV film supports #CelebratingCommunityServices Week

We are delighted that our film, “Health visiting in your community“, is being used to support the NHS Confederation’s Celebrating Community Services Week.

#CelebratingCommunityServices runs from 16 to 20 October and provides a concerted week-long special focus on community health services – explaining their role, the breadth of what they provide and the impact their services have. Taking place primarily on social media, it will bring services to life and celebrate their successes.

This year’s focus is on children and young people’s services – the breadth of what’s provided in the community, the difference it makes to people’s lives and why it is important to tackle backlogs of care in the community.

We are proud to share our film with NHS Confederation. It showcases the breadth of health visitors’ work and their critical role in supporting the health and wellbeing of thousands and thousands of families every week. So, it is particularly apt for this year’s #CelebratingCommunityServices.

The film captures the voices and stories of parents with a wide variety of different needs – they speak powerfully about the difference that the health visitor’s care and support made to their family when they needed it most. As health visitors often work alone, or in small teams in families’ homes, their work is often hidden and it’s easy to overlook how important it is.
Watch the short film below:

New e-learning: Community-Centred Approaches to Health Improvement

Public Health England (PHE) has been working with Health Education England (HEE) to produce a new e-Learning for Health programme on community-centred approaches to health improvement.

These two new e-learning modules are suitable for practitioners, managers and commissioners who want:

an update on evidence and guidance on community-centred approaches to health improvement;
to take a more strategic and planned approach to scaling-up community-centred approaches.

Communities matter for health. A community where people are well connected, are inclusive and respectful of all and are involved in local decision-making, are healthy communities. Improving population health and reducing health inequalities requires us to address these community factors and work with and alongside community members to improve the things that matter for their health.

The e-learning modules are based on PHE’s guide to community-centred approaches for health and wellbeing and support PHE’s growing programme of work on community-centred and asset-based approaches.

Module 1 covers the evidence and theory on why and how communities matter for health and what approaches work.
Module 2 involves practical exercises to apply the knowledge to practice and to help develop strategic and practical plans for taking community-centred approaches forward within local places and organisations.

Access e-learning: Community-Centred Approaches to Health Improvement via e-LfH portal

Accessing this e-learning is through the e-LfH portal (you will need your NMC Pin to register). Please note the iHV does not host the e-LfH site. If you experience any problems accessing the site, contact e-LfH.

e-Bugs new community hygiene course: Beat the Bugs

The e-Bug team from Public Health England has developed a new community hygiene course called “Beat the Bugs”.

The Beat the Bugs course is a 6-week community hygiene course which aims to increase awareness and change behaviour around hygiene and antibiotic use.

It comprises six fun, visual and interactive sessions, covering: an introduction to microbes, hand and respiratory hygiene, food hygiene, oral hygiene, antibiotics and a final session on self-care and action planning for the future.

The course is designed to be delivered by community groups for community groups and is suitable for a range of community groups including adults with learning difficulties, young mothers and younger audiences such as girl guides, scouts, youth groups, and after-school clubs.

View new e-Bugs website and download course

NICE community engagement: improving health and wellbeing meeting

Public registration to observe the committee meeting for community engagement: improving health and wellbeing is now open.

Date: 10:00-16:00 Wednesday 18 May 2016

Location: Manchester

As a public observer, you will be able to listen to the business of the meeting, except where confidential information is being discussed, however, you will not be able to:

participate in committee discussions
ask questions, take part in voting or put your views to members of the committee

To find out more or to register

Registration for this meeting will close on Wednesday 4 May 2016. Please note they are not able to accept late requests to observe this meeting.

For further information about meetings in public please refer to the following document: Common questions and answers about standing advisory committee meetings in public.

Should you have any queries regarding observing this meeting, please contact the Meetings in Public Coordinator, Jon Littler – [email protected]

Prime Minister awards mum for starting social exercise community groups for new mothers

A mum of three boys who set up a national network of volunteer-led community activity groups for mothers to help over 1000 mums across England actively embrace motherhood together has been named a Point of Light by Prime Minister David Cameron.

Katy Tuncer set up Ready Steady Mums – local volunteer-led groups where mothers meet to exercise together, such as in a park or community centre. These groups help new mothers, who may feel cut off from friends and other sources of support after the birth, overcome feelings of isolation and depression. The groups are started by a mother, with support from their health visitor. They begin as a gentle walking group with other local mums before starting other types of physical activity, meaning there is a very low barrier for mums to get started.

Katy Tuncer, founder of Ready Steady Mums

Prime Minister David Cameron said:

“Katy has shown fantastic community spirit, taking the enjoyment and support she got from walking with other new Mums, and creating a nationwide movement to help others share the same experience. Ready Steady Mums has grown into a wonderful way for Mums to come together in their local community. I am delighted to recognise her as the UK’s 436^th Point of Light.”

Read the full press release