Dr Amanda Doyle
People living across Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre are being encouraged to have their say in how the health and wellbeing of local people could be improved.
Working together, health and care organisations across the Fylde coast are developing a ‘Self-Care Strategy’, which will set out an agreed approach to supporting local people to maintain good health and wellbeing.
Through a number of agreed priorities and actions, it will aim to reduce the number of Fylde coast residents developing long-term conditions and support those living with such complaints to stay as fit and well as possible.
However, health and care bosses want local people to shape the way forward and play a role in developing the strategy by completing a short survey.
Councillor Amy Cross, Cabinet Member for Adult Services and Health at Blackpool Council, said: “We really want to support individuals, families, carers and communities to develop the knowledge, skills and self-confidence required to self-care.
“With the right support, information and education, people can be empowered to look after their own health, backed up by access to health and social care services when they need them.
“Self-care isn’t just about knowing how to treat minor ailments or complaints. It is also about the day-to-day things that we can all do to stay fit and healthy. With that comes accessing the range of support available in your local community to help you stay well before your health deteriorates to the point of needing public services.
“We want to understand how people currently feel about the support available, the things which prevent them from being able to self-care and any good ideas they may. I’d really encourage as many residents as possible to take part in the survey.”
Thornton GP Dr Tony Naughton, who is also Clinical Chief Officer for NHS Fylde and Wyre CCG, added: “As a GP I often see people whose ailments could have been avoided if they had better knowledge of how to look after themselves or more confidence in their ability to self-care.
“Times have changed and there is a real desire for people to have control of their own lives and their own wellbeing.
“We want this to continue and we want to help people get there as much as we can, so we are very interested to see the results of this survey.”
The work is all part of the ongoing Fylde coast vanguard programme, in which organisations across the area are working together to tackle a number of challenges which the local health and care system faces over the coming years.
A growing elderly population, more people living with long-term conditions and thus requiring a greater range of services over a longer period of time, plus inequalities in life-expectancy between different areas of the Fylde coast are just some of these.
The survey can be completed online at www.yourcareourpriority.nhs.uk/self-care and should take no longer than 10 minutes to complete.
Alternatively, paper copies can be obtained by calling 01253 956594.
The survey will close on Friday, January 20, 2016.
Notes to editors:
- The Fylde coast when referred to as a vanguard site includes the following organisations: NHS Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG); NHS Fylde and Wyre CCG; Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust; Lancashire County Council; and Blackpool Council.
- The vanguards programme is one of the first steps towards delivering the NHS Five Year Forward View.
- Each vanguard site is taking a lead on the development of new care models which will act as the blueprints for the NHS moving forward and the inspiration to the rest of the health and care system.
For further information about this press release please call the communications team on 01253 956594.