Working with faith groups to promote health and wellbeing

There is a growing body of research which shows how faith groups can have a positive impact on both the health of their members and wider communities.

View allPublic health articles

At this time of severely constrained finance for local government and the NHS it is essential that we do all we can to harness the skills and assets in our local communities to improve health and wellbeing.

Faith groups make an important contribution to this work through their commitment to service, both with their own members and with wider communities. In particular, faith groups are often able to utilise the enthusiasm of their members as volunteers. Also, some faith groups have members who face health inequalities through a higher risk of some diseases or through difficulties in accessing healthcare. These groups are, therefore, well placed to have an active role in tackling health problems in the communities they serve.