Case studies

Around 14,000 NHS Health Checks take place in Newham each year. Newham Council commissions the borough’s GP federation to deliver them, which sub-contracts to GP practices. Along with some neighbouring boroughs, Newham benefits from excellent data through a partnership with the Clinical Effectiveness Group based at Queen Mary University of London.

Housing is one of the routes to increase fostering capacity, predominantly by working with existing in-house carers who could offer homes to more children but are restricted by the size / type of home they live in.

Hounslow uses a population health management framework to target public health services at people who would most benefit from them. A health outreach team travels around the borough engaging with residents about their health and delivering NHS Health Checks in the heart of local communities.

The two London boroughs of Camden and Islington have used some of their suicide prevention funding to provide a dedicated psychotherapy service for young adults leaving care. Tailored support is delivered in community settings through a local voluntary sector partner, the Brandon Centre.

Quit Well Newham was launched in January 2021. It provides quit aids such as nicotine replacement therapy and e-cigarettes alongside expert support from a stop smoking adviser

Mid and South Essex residents who are newly diagnosed with depression can be referred to a ‘Wellbeing Calls’ service which provides additional support in the first few weeks after diagnosis. Delivered by two local voluntary sector partners, the service supported almost 700 people in the year 2022/23.

The community fund, with grants of up to £1,000 at a time, is available for partners who want to run smokefree events and initiatives. 

Through the local authority public health teams in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, a proportion of the NHS England suicide prevention funding was allocated to develop a suicide bereavement service. This provides emotional and practical support to people affected by a suicide, possible suicide or sudden and unexplained death.

Residents in Southampton who want to quit smoking and need help can access national NHS materials and an eight-week package of help via many pharmacies or their GP practice if they need it.

In Bournemouth, a cluster of suicides linked to the railways led to targeted action by public health, council, transport and community partners. The response included a strong focus on communications, helping to change how the local media reports on suicide and mental health.