Arun Wellbeing given clean bill of health
Arun District Council’s Wellbeing Team has had its contract to deliver services across the whole of Arun extended for a further three years by West Sussex County Council.
Financial support has been provided by the Public Health Team at West Sussex County Council, as well as funding in-kind by Arun District Council, which means Arun Wellbeing will offer the public its services up to March 2019.
Arun Wellbeing, which has been in place since April 2009, supports residents to reduce their risk of heart disease, strokes, type 2 diabetes and preventable cancers, through small lifestyle changes such as getting more active or eating more healthily, with the long-term aim of reducing health inequalities in the Arun district.
Councillor Paul Wotherspoon, Arun District Council Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “Arun Wellbeing makes such a vital difference to the lives of people living in the Arun district.
“Having a team at Arun to help improve the health and wellbeing of our residents is so important because not only do small lifestyle changes help people feel healthier and happier, they are less likely to visit their doctor or a hospital and may ultimately improve their healthy life expectancy, which can only be a good thing.”
Arun Wellbeing’s clients were contacted by phone three months after they had met with a Wellbeing Adviser. Of those who agreed to take part in the survey, 97% rated their contact with Arun Wellbeing to be very useful or useful and 85% had made positive and ongoing changes to their lifestyles.
Arun Wellbeing runs a range of services including projects that support people to start getting active, learning how to cook healthily on a budget, managing their weight, courses for older people to help them improve their balance and prevent falls, information workshops for people who have been identified as pre-diabetic, practical guidance and support to help people with cold homes to heat their homes more economically and tailor-made courses for families who need extra help.
The team also provides one-to-one motivational support for people who wish to find out how to improve their health through lifestyle change.
One happy Arun Wellbeing customer said: “You helped me to focus on making the right choices”, another said “Yes – my diabetes control has improved” while a third said “Jo was brilliant - I am not feeling worried about next winter now”.