Case studies

An interview with Professor Steve Maddern, Director of Public Health, Swindon Borough Council.

An interview with Stephen Gunther, Director of Public Health, Walsall Council.

By helping establish a new partnership with the local NHS and voluntary sector, Ribble Valley District Council has started championing healthy living and wellbeing in its rural communities. This case study shows how district councils have improved the health of their local areas.

A new health and wellbeing service for children and families will embed the insights learnt from a three-year pilot aimed at tackling childhood obesity in one of the most deprived wards.

The environmental health team at Rushmoor Borough Council made it their priority to support local shop owners and kept them up to date with the ever changing guidance and went the extra mile to deliver lateral flow tests.

Whilst COVID-19 is having significant impacts on the lives of residents and the city region of Greater Manchester as a whole, we know that the nature and extent of these impacts are not being evenly experienced across the population. National research into these issues exists but lacks the level of detail authorities in Greater Manchester knew they needed to identify those affected most, the issues they face, the support they need, and do determine how best communications and support should be targeted.

Author Professor Bengt Lindstrom MD PhD DrPH is Professor of Salutogenesis and Health Promotion at the Nordic School of Public Health, Gothenberg, and Director of Health Promotion Research at the Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki. This case study is an example of the practical use of asset-based approaches in communities.

Sandwell has a network of community leaders to promote vaccination; follow-up calls are also being made to those who refuse a jab; early data suggests there is little difference in uptake between ethnic groups.

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council has worked with Alcohol Concern to support the most difficult, hard-to-reach drinkers.

Sandwell MBC has partnered with Alcohol Change UK to run a project aimed at the most change-resistant drinkers. It targets those who are alcohol dependent, a burden on public service and not engaging with treatment, by surrounding them with support.