Shropshire Council’s Health, Wellbeing and Prevention Directorate is one of a kind - their work has continued to improve health outcomes across Shropshire. Their fully integrated Social Prescribing team have been helping thousands of people a year to take charge of their own health and wellbeing and improve their lives.

Working in partnership across health, care and voluntary and community sector, the social prescribing programme reaches those most in need. Shropshire’s programme is designed to help people with a wide range of social, emotional, physical or practical needs. Clients have the space to talk one-to-one with a trained Link Worker (known as Healthy Lives Advisor) and come up with a plan of action together, to help resolve health and wellbeing concerns and help put the person back in charge of their life. The advisors are fully trained in motivational interviewing, behaviour change and health coaching. Working closely with valued partners in the voluntary and community sector, the programme connects people to services or activities in their community. In the last year referrals to the service have increased 104%, and people have been supported by over 60 local organisations.

The Health protection cell have also worked tirelessly throughout the year in response to outbreaks of COVID-19. The team have supported the national and local response to Monkeypox, Step A as well as supporting asylum seekers to ensure their health and wellbeing needs are met.

As we think of unsung heroes who make our work possible, the Drug and alcohol team and Assistant Director for Integration and Healthy Population deserve a huge shoutout for successfully securing an additional £1.8million to support the homeless community and improving health and care outcomes around the area.

With the cost-of-living crisis affecting most communities across the county, the work of the Social Task Force also deserves a mention. The team’s support to the residents around the cost of living, has been fundamental in helping those in need. They have brought together a huge range of organisations including Shropshire Council, Citizen’s Advice Shropshire, Age UK, Marches Energy Agency, Community Resource, Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance. Together, they have set up a dedicated cost of living advice website which signposts residents to all the help on offer in Shropshire, From outbound calls to warm spaces to training and payments of support, the partnership has also helped to deliver more than £30 million of government grants to support residents with the rising cost of living. The money has supported a wide range of people, including pensioners and families with young children, with food costs, fuel grants, energy bills and other essential living costs.