People living in Wakefield District will be updated on the work of a key plan to improve the health and wellbeing of all residents later this week.

The Wakefield District Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2022 – 2025 was approved in February this year, setting out how it would take action in four priority areas:

• Giving every child the best start in life
• A healthy standard of living for all
• Prevention of ill health
• Sustainable communities

Six months since the Strategy’s launch, a meeting of the Wakefield District Health and Wellbeing Board on Thursday 10 November will hear the latest developments taking place to help realise the ambitions.

Boosting household incomes

Among the positive work undertaken have been two local campaigns to help boost people’s household incomes. The Benefits Campaign and More Money in Your Pocket campaign saw people supported in accessing financial support they were entitled to at a series of events held in community centres, shopping centres, hospitals and other public places.

In total, nearly 300 households gained £717,700 worth of previously unclaimed benefits/grants or increases in existing benefit claims at an average of £2,474 per household.

Targeted work is also taking place to help people with fuel costs while Wakefield Council has partnered with NOVA, the voluntary sector support organisation, to open up community buildings as ‘warm spaces’ where people can go if they are unable to heat their homes.

The multi-agency Wakefield Families Together programme continues to proactively work with families, childcare and education providers to direct support to families in greatest need and Wakefield Council recently won in the Children’s Services category at the national LGC awards.

Community Diagnostic Centres

The district is also to benefit from national funding for Community Diagnostic Centres to deliver a large range of diagnostic tests to help staff diagnose a range of conditions including cancer, heart and lung disease quicker to ensure patients get the care they need more quickly.

Wakefield Council and the local NHS are funding work to establish a model of community development in the Wakefield District, targeted at the most deprived communities. This will be targeted at people who are at high risk of becoming ill, for example, because of poverty or isolation.

It will involve community workers supporting people to get help with health, money, housing, employment and social contact – with the aim to have the model in place early next year.

To find out more about the Health and Wellbeing Board and details of how to join its meeting, visit the Wakefield Council website.