Supporting health and wellbeing in our communities this winter

Blog by Leah Kennedy, Your Voice Counts Head of Communities

"Earlier this year, I joined Your Voice Counts as Head of Communities and I've been busy getting to know the wide range of services our team delivers. As we’ve moved into the winter months, I’ve become increasingly aware of the vital role our Health and Wellbeing Facilitator team plays in supporting both individuals and the wider health system.

"Winter is always a challenging time for health and primary care services and this year is no exception. With growing pressure on the NHS regularly making headlines, I’m proud that we’re able to play our part in supporting people to stay well and help services manage demand.

"Our Health and Wellbeing Facilitators provide practical support and encouragement, helping people take positive steps to look after their health. This includes supporting people to access vaccinations, which we know can be more difficult and stressful for people with a learning disability and autistic people, particularly when it involves unfamiliar environments or busy health settings.

"To reduce these barriers, we’ve been working creatively to make healthcare more accessible. One example is hosting a pop-up vaccination clinic at one of our drop-in groups, bringing services into a familiar, trusted space.

"By supporting access to vaccinations, we’re helping the people we work with while also contributing to wider public health aims, including reducing hospital admissions linked to respiratory illnesses over the winter period.

"The importance of this work is underlined by the LeDeR report published earlier this year, which highlighted that life expectancy remains lower for people with a learning disability. While this is a stark and sobering reality, charities like ours are committed to changing this.

"We continue to respond to the needs of our communities, challenge health inequalities and work in partnership with health services to ensure everyone has the opportunity to live a healthier life. There is still much to do, but we’re proud of the steps we’re taking and the difference our teams make every day."

To find out more about our health and wellbeing work, visit www.yvc.org.uk/health.