Case studies

The London Mental Digital Wellbeing Service enables Londoners to assess their own mental health, get information about how to look after their own wellbeing, access support, and connect with others - including mental health professionals. PHEBI applied an underpinning behaviour change framework, used low cost interventions to optimise the flow of users to and through the digital space, and advised on the selection and offer of apps for wellbeing support – all based on existing theory and evidence.

The 22 May 2018 marked one year on from the devastating Manchester Arena bombing which killed 22 people and changed countless lives, and the city, forever. Jen Green, director of strategic communications at Manchester City Council, reflects on how Manchester came together to remember those tragic events and honour the city’s powerful community spirit. The Manchester Together memorial programme was awarded a bronze award at the 2018 public service communications excellence awards.

Mental health problems can impact anybody at any stage of their life. Many people are scared to open up about mental health issues but Hertfordshire Council and partner agencies from across the county made it their mission to help change this. They wanted to raise awareness and normalise speaking out about mental health, particularly among boys and young men. Jen Beer, children and young people’s health improvement lead for public health at Hertfordshire County Council, tells us how their campaign to get people to ‘Just Talk’ won a bronze public service communications excellence award.

East Sussex County Council worked with key partners to reduce the manual handling of data and to target families more effectively through its innovative use of digital technology.

In Cheshire, two CCGs and the council have worked together to engage the wider local community in self care by recruiting a network of champions and setting up a Self Care Award to entice employers to get involved. This forms part of our resource on self care.

A self care strategy was published two years ago in Manchester. Since then the city council and its partners have started implementing changes that should see a revolution in self care. This forms part of our resource on self care.

In 2016 following ten years of partnership working, ForWard House opened its doors at a time when refuges across the country were closing.

Huntingdonshire District Council has worked with its local academic health science network to encourage cancer and cardiac rehab patients to become active and involved in the self-management of their recovery. Patients are being taught how to use remote monitoring technology, while taking part in exercise classes. This forms part of our resource on self care.

Milton Keynes takes part in the national Self Care Week. But as well as running events around the district, the council and CCG have also run a super local version on one of the most deprived estates in the area. This forms part of our resource on self care.

Bracknell Forest Council has built on its involvement with the national Self Care Week by running a Year of Self Care and then setting up a community-wide network of clubs and groups that is seeing thousands of local people taking part in activities and looking after their health and wellbeing. This forms part of our resource on self care.