About Hywel Dda
Hywel Dda the place and people
In summary – people living in the area served by the University Health Board have generally healthier lifestyles than is typical across Wales, and the health of our population is generally improving, but there are still too many avoidable deaths and preventable conditions. So there are local challenges still to be addressed. For example, Ceredigion has a slightly higher rate of adults reporting to drink alcohol above the guidelines and binge drink, whereas Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire are reporting higher than the Welsh average in rates of obesity. This is despite better rates than Wales for levels of physical activity and fruit and vegetable consumption.
MECC in Hywel Dda
Hywel Dda local public health team in partnership with the University Health Board were early adopters of the ‘Making Every Contact Count’ approach and has a long standing commitment to supporting the health and social care workforce to ‘Make Every Contact Count’ with patients and colleagues. This includes enabling staff to develop the skills, knowledge and confidence to promote wellbeing and encourage lifestyle behaviour change at every appropriate opportunity. The MECC agenda within Hywel Dda is evidence based and continues to be developed and informed by evaluation1-2. In particular, the ‘Making Every Contact Count’ approach contributes to the University Health Board strategic objective 1 (to encourage and support people to make healthier choices for themselves and their children and reduce the number of people who engage in risk taking behaviour) and strategic objective 2 (to reduce overweight and obesity in our local population).
We continue to promote and develop our behaviour change activities and Making Every Contact Count approach, particularly with colleagues working in Primary Care and Early Years.
MECC delivery in Hywel Dda
Face to face level 2 Brief Interventions training is delivered by the local public health team to health professionals who have the appropriate and regular opportunity to ‘Make Every Contact Count’ with patients and clients. Currently there are two main programmes of delivery:
Lifestyle Advocates project
Enthusiastic individuals from [primarily] GP practices and pharmacies are recruited and participate in a development programme to embed a healthy lifestyle and prevention ethos and practice within their setting. The programme includes the delivery of Level 2 brief interventions training and building links with local lifestyle support services and groups in the local community.
1. Wood V & Scale I. Evaluation of the ‘Talking with Clients and Patients about Healthy Lifestyles’ brief advice training programme. Hywel Dda Public Health Team, 2015.
2.Evans R., Hancock, L. Jones, G., Nichols, C., Scale, I. And Wood, V. Evaluation of the ‘Lifestyle Advocates: Promoting Health in Practice’ project 2015/2016: an approach to population health in partnership with public health and primary care. Hywel Dda Public Health Team, 2016
Early Years
We are supporting Midwives, Health Visitors and School Health Nurses in their role in promoting healthy lifestyle behaviours by providing Level 2 Brief Interventions Training. (Due to limited capacity we cannot currently deliver training to a wider audience).
Local contact
If you want more information or discuss current training please contact: Geinor.jones@wales.nhs.uk
Physical activity guide PHW Physical Activity (HDdUHB).pdf