Lorn group backs bid for health cash boost

Lorn Healthy Options (LHO) is backing an ambitious proposal to secure a healthier future for Scotland.

Blueprint for a Healthier Scotland will be presented to the Scottish Government by Scottish Communities for Health and Wellbeing (SCHW), which comprises 78 community-led health and wellbeing improvement organisations including the Oban-based registered charity.

The blueprint seeks to secure direct funding into established community health organisations across Scotland which have proved to improve the health and wellbeing of the communities they serve.

If successful, it would give an element of financial security to community health organisations that currently rely on an annual grant from NHS trusts to part-fund their work.

Lorn Healthy Options is leading the way towards a healthier Scotland. Photograph taken before current lockdown restrictions were in place.

Roy Clunie, LHO vice chairman, said: ‘The grant is not guaranteed, is on a year-to-year basis and makes it impossible to invest in staff and develop services.

‘Creating health in our communities works. It changes people’s lives and it saves the NHS significant amounts of money. The only challenge that faces Healthy Options is one of financial sustainability. It is a real challenge and a real threat. We have everything else we need to support people to improve their health and to change their lives. SCHW Blueprint for a Healthier Scotland is part of the solution and we are fully supportive of it.’

Healthy Options believes good health starts in the community and that 50 per cent of an individual’s health is down to their own personal behaviours, 20 per cent genetics, 20 per cent environment and 10 per cent access to health services.

Mr Clunie says that around 4,000 people – approximately 40 per cent of the population – in Oban have chronic/long term health conditions that can be control managed or improved through having an active, healthy lifestyle.

He continued: ‘That is the focus of Healthy Options, to support our 40 per cent to better health and wellbeing through non-medicalised prescriptions, a social health prescription.

‘With an increasingly sedentary lifestyle and an ageing population, we have a growing number of people who would benefit from our services.

‘We have highly qualified, dedicated staff, we have excellent resources through partnership working with Atlantis Leisure and other community organisations and we have an excellent working relationship and support from health professionals. Collaboratively we have developed the award-winning Oban Living Well Support model deemed as ‘world class’ and ‘unique’ in Scotland.

‘Healthy Options staff and directors are motivated to increase our services and support more of ‘our 40 per cent’. Health professionals support and encourage us to do so and our community and our clients are supporting us with fund-raising and volunteering. All we need now is financial stability,’ he added.

To find out more and to read the blueprint visit the www. schw.co.uk website.