Introduction

‘Living Well in Warrington’ presents the vision for improving health and wellbeing across the borough. It is a commitment to everyone in our town, to give every child the best start in life so they can fulfil their potential, supporting adults to work and live fulfilling lives and ensuring older people enjoy a healthy, independent, and rewarding old age, feeling safe and connected in their communities. The plan is for everyone in the town.

Where and how people live can affect their health, however some people and groups don’t have the same opportunities. This plan aims to tackle the differences in health and make things better for everyone, closing the gap in how long people live, so everyone can have a chance at a good and healthy life.

The aim is to make healthcare better and fairer for everyone, making sure that everyone can use healthcare services easily. By working together, across services and using new ideas and technology, like remote care and digital tools, our resources can reach everyone.

The strategy focuses on improving health and well-being in Warrington, addressing inequalities while dealing with challenges such as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, cost of living, and climate change.

Eight priorities

1. Give every child the best start in life

• Better health outcomes particularly good mental health for children, young people and families and the right help when its needed.
• Support to be a healthy weight, access to good food, ways to be active and help with behaviour when needed.
• Ways to reduce risky behaviours which may include substance use, sexual behaviour, gangs and taking risks on social media.
• Keeping children and young people safe and protected from experiences such as neglect, domestic violence and bullying and support for those who do have these experiences.
• Services that children and young people need which are easy to find and use.
• More children to be protected by having vaccinations.
• Families with children or young people who have learning disabilities or autism will get help early.
• Children will be ready for school.
• Young people who are carers will get support to reduce stress and loneliness and make sure they don’t miss out on education and opportunities.

2. Enable all children, young people, and adults to maximise their capacity.

• Addressing factors that affect health throughout people’s lives.
• Promoting women’s health with better access to services like contraception and menopause care.
• Providing education, training and recruitment and career guidance to develop skills and employment opportunities.
• With more people living longer, the aim is to help people as they get older to live independently and contribute to and be part of the community.
• Being independent is the best way to stay healthy. This means getting the right support, equipment, and technology to stay active and safe at home.
• Local unpaid carers, who help those with additional needs, will receive more support and training.
• More dementia-friendly places and services will be developed and promoted.
• Promoting our community venues and developing more Talking Points and warm centres to help with loneliness and isolation.
• Prevention is a key focus, including ways to stay healthy, to reduce falls and winter-related health issues.
• Good quality of care during the final stages of life is a priority.
• The goal is for everyone to have a say in how they want to live and how they want to die, and for their preferences to be respected and planned for.

3. Create fair employment and work for all

• For local people to have access to a strong economy and quality local jobs, to make a healthier and more prosperous community.
• The town has a thriving economy with many businesses and a low unemployment rate. People in Warrington earn relatively high salaries and there are a range of job opportunities.
• However, not all jobs are well-paying, and many people have low-paying, part-time, or temporary jobs.
• Some are excluded from the job market due to issues like illness or caring responsibilities.
• For people to improve their lives, there will be better job opportunities and support for issues like debt and health-related
  unemployment.
• Continued learning, on the job training, skill development and increased career opportunities to improve job opportunities for everyone.
• Support employers to create healthier work environments, including sponsoring an award for businesses that promote  health and well-being for employees and customers.

4. Ensure a healthy standard of living for all

• Warrington is in progress to build 15,000 new homes by 2039, with a third being affordable housing.
• Housing in Warrington can be expensive, making it difficult for residents to buy or rent properties.
• There is a shortage of social housing, increased homelessness and limited affordable rental options, putting pressure on low-income households.
• The town aims to provide safe, healthy, and affordable housing with planning that supports well-being and helps all residents live independently. Green spaces, clean streets, space to be active all help to improve health and happiness.

5. Create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities

• Strong community relationships and resources are essential for good health.
• The town has a vibrant voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector, with over 1,000 organisations providing services to residents.
• Poverty is a significant factor influencing health outcomes, particularly affecting people with disabilities and long-term conditions, people out of work, those in low-paying or unstable jobs, and people experiencing homelessness.
• For some groups, such as those with disabilities or specific needs, tailored support can help to address inequalities in health and promote well-being.
• Reducing people being isolated and lonely is important to improve overall well-being.
• Safeguarding the most vulnerable members of the community is a shared responsibility, with a particular focus on the safety and well-being of children and adults with care and other needs.
• Warrington is committed to protecting children and adults from harm, including abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination and crime, as well as providing support for those that have suffered harm.
• Support for more vulnerable residents to lead fulfilling, independent lives and ensuring their ability to make decisions about their own lives.
• Partners working together to improve safeguarding practices, learning from cases to ensure high quality local health and care services.

6. Strengthen the role and impact of ill health prevention

• Prevention of poor health will be a focus across all services and partners to improve health and well-being for all.
• To promote well-being not only in health and care sectors but all settings including schools and workplaces.
• This will include conversations about health, evidence-based approaches, and supporting people to make changes to improve their health.
• Addressing root causes of poor health, such as poverty, education, employment, housing, income, and the local environment.
• Providing information, resources, and support for people to manage their own health, including those with long-term conditions and mental health problems.
• Reducing risk factors for certain conditions; by promoting physical activity, reducing alcohol and substance misuse and addressing smoking and vaping challenges, especially among young people.
• A commitment to delivering efficient health and care services, particularly community and home-based care and joining up services.
• Improving access to care and strengthening community involvement in designing services to meet the needs of local communities.

7. Tackle racism, discrimination, and their outcomes

• For all residents to feel welcome and safe, including challenging and stopping all forms of discrimination and racism.
• Discrimination is a risk factor for poor health, this will be tackled by reducing the effects of violence and hate, removing barriers to care, improving cultural sensitivity in healthcare, and increasing consideration and compassion toward people and groups that may be discriminated.
• Warrington’s Community Safety Partnership (CSP) is focused on maintaining safety, reducing hate crimes, and protecting everyone from harm.

8. Pursue environmental quality, sustainability and health equity together

• A focus on long term changes and effects, reducing health risks, addressing inequalities related to climate change and effects on health and well-being.
• The UK Committee on Climate Change highlighted the importance of addressing climate change for health, and Warrington is already focusing on actions to reduce air pollution, improve energy efficiency in homes, promote sustainable and healthy food, and prioritise active and safe transport.
• Warrington’s Climate Emergency Commission aims to make the borough carbon-neutral by 2030.
• Warrington Borough Council is the first local authority in the UK to produce its own electricity with the Hull solar farm supplying all our needs.
• To help address poor air quality, diesel buses will be replaced with electric, promoting green travel and reducing carbon emissions.

We can all take steps to improve our own health and wellbeing. What are you going to do?

I will: