Birmingham Lifestyles Consultation

Overview

Public Health is now the responsibility of Birmingham City Council. We currently commission a wide range of lifestyle services for early years, children, young people and adults including:

• NHS Health Checks
• Healthy eating/weight management
• Physical activity
• Stop smoking services
• Health trainers

Following recent service reviews, extensive research and stakeholder engagement we are now seeking your views on the proposed redesign of these services and the introduction of an integrated treatment and prevention system. This email highlights the start of the formal 60 day consultation that ends on Friday 10^th July.

The proposed model seeks to ensure that we maintain a universal offer, whilst prioritising those with the greatest health needs. This approach goes beyond looking at single lifestyle risk factors and aims to manage multiple risk factors within an individual care plan to improve health and wellbeing. We are seeking to simplify the referral pathways via a single access point; this will be known as a ‘Lifestyles Hub’. It will aim to assess and support citizens to access the most appropriate services, as part of a holistic lifestyles care plan. These may include programmes such as health MOT’s, weight management, physical activity and stop smoking.

Additionally, the proposed model will include web-based support for all Birmingham Citizens, whilst providing advice and guidance for those exiting more intensive services aimed at those with the greatest need.  The web based support tool would aim to provide a range of information, advice and applications to help citizens improve their health and wellbeing, include signposting to local services and opportunities, as well as web based applications that will support them to become more active, stop smoking or lose weight.

For further information please refer to the additional 'Related Documents' section.

We really value all of the feedback and views provided. By completing the short questionnaire you will be assisting us to ensure we develop a model that meets the needs of Birmingham citizens.

Why your views matter

We need to make improvements to the way we currently offer and deliver Lifestyle services by:

• Services are currently being offered to everyone universally; this is not demonstrating value for money and do not address the needs of the diverse Birmingham population. We will be introducing a more targeted approach to those with the greatest need, as these groups have been identified as higher health risk factors and therefore higher costs to public funds.
• Reducing the complexity of accessing services by treating multiple health issues with one simpler access point and introduction of care plans that are able to address the multiple issues a person may be experiencing.
• With the advances in technology and more citizens using it we are looking to offer an on line services to support the new treatment model

We have a responsibility to secure the highest quality service outcomes at the best possible price. We are, therefore, proposing a new model that aims to help manage and prevent health issues that reduce quality of life and life expectancy.