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hio collage.jpg Fifes Community Planning Partners have signed up to becoming Health Improvement Organisations. Over the next 12 months a framework will be developed to progress this. Further informastion will be posted as it becomes available.

Health Improving Organisations view improving health and wellbeing as an integral part of day to day work and an influence on all aspects of the organisation's activity

A health improvement organisation....

develops policies that support health and wellbeing and actively seeks to put these into practice through organisational plans and service delivery
tackles health inequalities by working to improve the health and wellbeing of people from the most disadvantaged groups and communities
uses public health information and evidence to develop policy, inform decision making and evaluate activity against health improvement objectives
reviews and measures the impact of its policies and practice on the health & well being of communities
provides a working environment and promotes working relationships which enhance the physical and emotional wellbeing of staff
builds knowledge, skills and resources of staff to influence health and wellbeing and tackling health inequalities
creates healthy environments, which not only protect health but also promote positive health and wellbeing
involves communities and strengthens community action
supports and enables individuals to make choices that are good for their health
works to develop partnerships, including internal partnerships, which bring added value to health improvement work
seeks opportunities to contribute to and influence national debate and initiatives around improving health and tackling health inequalities

Implementing the principles

Below we have listed the principles, by clicking on these, you are provided with examples detailing how organisations in Fife are demonstrating these in practice.

Develops policies
Develops policies that support health and wellbeing and actively seeks to put these into practice through organisational plans and service delivery

Fife Education Service - working in collaboration with the NHS Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Health Promotion and Fife Council Catering Services - has developed a school tuck shop/vending policy.

The initial stimulus for this initiative was the Fife Food in Schools Audit 2003 which highlighted the unhealthy nature of items sold within tuck shops and from vending machines.
The overall aim of the policy sits within the wider principle of promoting healthy eating highlighted in the Scottish Executive document "Hungry for Success". The healthy tuckshop, therefore is merely one element of the work of encouraging young people to make healthy choices in their lives and sits alongside curricular work which encourages all aspects of healthy living.
Some of the recommendations highlighted include -
- Children and young people should be involved in the decision making process and implementation of establishing healthy tuckshops and vending machines
- Introduction of fresh fruit and products which meet a strict criteria governing sugar, fat and salt content.
- Removal of fizzy drinks and high sugar products
- All vending contracts should comply with the criteria within the policy and be well stocked at all time with healthy options
The policy was passed by the Children's Services Committee in October 2006 but the principles within it have already impacted on practice within the schools as they have been encouraged to address many of the issues as part of their work towards becoming a Health Promoting School.
Uses public health information and evidence

uses public health information and evidence to develop policy, inform decision making and evaluate activity against health improvement objectives

Sheltered Housing Pilot project

Public Health Information from local and national data has concluded that older people in Fife do not take the recommended amount of physical activity and demographically this population will have a larger percentage increase than that projected for Scotland. Fife has therefore identified Adults in Later Life as an important part of their Joint Health Improvement Plan (JHIP).

A multi-activity pilot project has taken place in two Sheltered Housing complexes in Glenrothes.

The aim of the project was to increase physical activity opportunities and levels of participation by residents and to enhance individual sense of physical and emotional well-being.

The project hoped to progress specific objectives in the Fife Joint Health Improvement Plan (2003-6), Fife Physical Activity Action Plan (2004-6) and Fife's Framework of Services for Older People-a Community Planning Approach. Qualitative information was gathered from residents prior to, during and after the project by using participatory appraisal which provided additional evidence and ongoing information.

Evaluation is underway and will be fed into the Fife Physical Activity Task group. The project may influence what physical activity opportunities are available to Adults in Later Life in Fife.
Reviews and measures impact of its policies and practice
Reviews and measures the impact of its policies and practice on the health & well being of communities

Fife Healthy Living and Sensory Awareness Project works to improve the health and wellbeing of people with a sensory loss.

Using their knowledge and experience and the information they gathered through involving and consulting with those target communities, they identified that lack of confidence was a key factor impacting on people's health and wellbeing.
- They then ran a series of group work sessions in conjunction with the Workers Educational Association in relation to confidence building.
- They monitored the number of groups they ran and who attended the sessions -output measure
- They then tried to evaluate the impact of the sessions through talking to the people who had attended and gathering their experiences of the sessions and listening to the impact they feel it had had on their lives - qualitative evidence.
Although they can not yet prove the impact of the sessions on mental and emotional health and wellbeing, say for example through evidence to show that fewer people are being prescribed anti-depressants -quantitative indicator - they are confident enough about the impact of the sessions that they are going to run more.
Provides a working environment & promotes working relationships
Provides a working environment and promotes working relationships which enhance the physical and emotional wellbeing of staff
Fife Constabulary: Have developed a 13 year strategy called "Fit for Duty" the broad aim of which is to follow an "individuals progress" from pre-employment to retiral. The document has 7 key stages:
- to Promote a Healthy Workforce by considering the well-being of an individual in relation to the partnership between the service, the individual and their family - commitment to the Work Life balance agenda
- fitness for Employment: highlighting that all employees should be mentally and physically capable of performing the roles they have been assigned by the service
- legislative Compliance
- management of Sickness Absence
- major Health matters
- rehabilitation and Redeployment
- ill Health Retirement
This strategy is now in its 3rd year and has contributed to the achievement of a Gold Scotland Health at Work Award (October 2006).
Builds knowledge
Builds knowledge, skills and resources of staff to influence health and wellbeing and tackling health inequalities

In order to support practitioners in Fife to improve health and wellbeing and tackle health inequalities, a Health Improvement Training Programme is available. This training is free and open to all staff and volunteers throughout community planning organisations. Courses are developed and delivered in collaboration between the Community Planning Partner organisations in Fife.

One of the training sessions provided is 'making group work even more effective'. The aim of this session is to enable participants to increase their knowledge, skills and confidence in facilitating groups.

David Barrie, Project Worker from Drug & Alcohol Project Levenmouth (DAPL) attended this training. David has been involved in running the male offenders group work programme. This is part of Fife's Criminal Justice Initiative and group work is a requirement of their drug treatment testing order. The group work involves discussing offending behaviour, the social impact of this, drug issues, building self-esteem, how to make life changes and discussing a range of issues that impact on health and well being. David felt the training consolidated many of the skills he was currently using and has enabled him to develop existing skills and try new techniques. DAPL plan to send other members of staff on this training. For many members of the male offenders group this is the first time they have attended group work sessions and it is important that this provides them with a positive and supportive experience.
Creates healthy environments

Creates healthy environments, which not only protect health but also promote positive health and wellbeing

Fife's Health and Wellbeing Regeneration Study highlights how important people think the impact of their environment is on their health and wellbeing' (needs amended in relation to finalised study report -add quotes)

Almost twice as many residents of the regeneration areas are dissatisfied with the overall physical appearance of their local area, as opposed to people living in other areas of Fife. The highest levels of dissatisfaction were recorded in relation to plays areas, shopping areas, and open spaces....The need to engage community members in caring for the local environment was identified.'

'Participants have talked a lot about building community spirit and identity. There is a desire across participants to feel connected and to have a sense of belonging.'
Involves communities

Involves communities and strengthens community action

Active Levenmouth

Active Levenmouth has used participatory appraisal methods to involve communities and strengthen community action around what encourages or creates barriers to undertaking physical activity. Results will be made available for the community to view and comment on. The community will be invited to become involved in shaping the project, which hopes to increase physical activity in the area by joint working with GP practices, expanding walking initiatives and developing physical activity programmes for teenage girls.
Supports and enables

Supports and enables individuals to make choices that are good for their health

The Ecology Centre

The Ecology Centre at Craigencalt, Kinghorn works with communities and schools to improve their outdoor environments to encourage use and improve the enjoyment of the areas.

One organisation that The Ecology Centre has worked with is the Tayside Institute in Newburgh. This community centre wished to develop an overgrown strip of land at the back of their building. The Young Women’s Group were chosen to take the project forward. The Ecology Centre met with the young women and helped them to establish the variety of activities that the area could be used for. The list of activities included social events, play for younger children, learning about wildlife and nature, working together in groups, after school activities and creative events. A plan was created to maximise the use of the area for everyone. The Tayside Institute’s garden is an ongoing project.

Having an improved area for the centre’s groups to utilise will provide many benefits to the community including: an area to be active in and enjoy the fresh air; a pleasant place to relax, watch wildlife and discover nature; a quiet spot to meet other people and a place that everyone using the centre can access.
works to develop partnerships
works to develop partnerships, including internal partnerships, which bring added value to health improvement work

The KY5 Partnership

The KY5 Partnership is tackling health inequalities by working to improve the health and wellbeing of people living in one of Fife’s regeneration areas.

The group use local and national data sources to plan health improvement activity, which can be delivered within existing resources, taking themes from the JHIP as priorities for action. To date, the group has facilitated a wide range of activities:
- delivering training to youth workers on self-esteem, alcohol awareness and smoking cessation
- secured funding for a variety of projects including peer support for breastfeeding mothers
- improving the volunteering experience and accessibility of volunteering by supporting a volunteer co-ordinator
- improving access to play for young children by the play team
- acting as the local steering group for community food development workers
- recruiting a health inequalities post providing a particular focus on delivering sexual health
Influence national debate
Seeks opportunities to contribute to and influence national debate and initiatives around improving health and tackling health inequalities

NHS Fife

During the Scottish Executive's 2004 consultation exercise on smoking in public places NHS Fife developed an action plan to raise awareness of the exercise among NHS staff and members of the public to encourage them to respond and register their views. Key elements of this action plan included:
- publicising on Fife Direct website the consultation process and how people could obtain a copy of the consultation response pack;
- writing letters to the local press to raise awareness of the consultation exercise, state NHS Fife's view and encourage others to respond;
- issuing local press releases and giving local radio interviews;
- cascading information on how to respond to the consultation exercise to GPs, community pharmacists, LHCC managers and chief executives for onward distribution to relevant staff;
- adding information about the consultation exercise to NHS Fife staff payslips;
- placing of copies of consultation pack in patient waiting areas of Fife acute hospitals;
- raising awareness of the national smoking conference, held in Edinburgh on 9 September 2004;
- raising awareness of the regional consultation seminar, held at the Lomond Centre Fife on 3 August 2004;
- encouraging Tobacco Issues Group colleagues to amend e-mail settings to include reference to the consultation and how to access consultation website.