Blueprint for better health to be approved

BLUEPRINTS for a new service covering healthy eating and exercise in Halton are due to be given the thumbs up.

Councillors on the executive board will learn details of fresh ideas for the area after a service review of the current service discovered it does not meet the ‘identified needs’ of the borough’s population.

The current service has different tiers with a contract from North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust finishing at the end of March.

A report for the meeting on Thursday, January 18, said the contract ending provides an opportunity to develop a new model of service delivery for weight management services in Runcorn and Widnes.

The document said: “We propose developing a new Halton Healthy Eat- ing And Exercise Service.

“This new service will be designed to meet the needs of local people.

“It will be an integrated service, there will be no service tiers, and instead patients will be offered choice based upon a holistic assessment of their weight management needs.”

It will offer both one-toone and group support, help with diets, and cognitive behavioural therapy.

Benefits of the new service listed in the docu- ment include a service designed to meet Halton residents’ needs, patients being offered choice based upon a holistic assessment of their needs rather than through body mass index (BMI) thresholds, a one stop shop approach avoiding multiple appointments, improved weight loss outcomes, and efficiency savings for the council due to reduced management costs.

Should the executive board approve the proposals as recommended, the service will be established and staff recruited.

The report said: “The redesign of the service will have a positive impact on reducing levels of overweight and obesity in Halton, a key objective under the Generally Well priority of the One Halton Health And Wellbeing Strategy.

“Many of the diseases caused by overweight and obesity can have a debilitating effect on the suf- ferer, reduce their quality of life and make it difficult to carry out day to day activities.

“This can have an impact on those already in employment, due to increased periods of sickness, and can also have an impact on those seeking employment.

“Therefore, reducing overweight and obesity in Halton will have a positive impact for employers and employees in Halton.

“Addressing the issue of overweight and obesity in Halton’s children and young people will con- tinue to be a key priority for the new Halton Healthy Eating And Exercise Service.

“It is hoped that the new integrated model will improve outcomes for this client group as described above.”