A new wellbeing outcomes framework has been designed, to reduce health inequalities for Walsall residents, supporting them to live happier and healthier lives.
The aim of the framework, which has been coproduced by Walsall Together and local citizens, is to enable a prevention rather than treatment approach to population health. It identifies what wellbeing means to the people of Walsall, with nine essential elements of good wellbeing (health, money, meaningful activity, meaningful connections, where we live, education and training, access to transport, digital inclusion and co-creation). It will provide the infrastructure for an improved Walsall wellbeing offer through a directory of services and will facilitate a collaborative borough wide approach to measuring our progress against a number of wellbeing indicators.
Louise Edwards, Transformation Programme Manager, from the Walsall Together Place Based Partnership, said: “There are many factors that impact our wellbeing such as physical and mental health, being financially secure, feeling connected to the people around us, having knowledge and skills and being ‘heard’ in our community to name just a few. The will framework enables a whole population approach to improving the ways in which citizens can take control of their own lives, as well as a more targeted approach for those who are most vulnerable, and experience the poorest outcomes. I am hugely passionate about wellbeing, and it has been such a privilege to work with a team and partners, who have a vested interest in improving quality of life and want to make a difference like I do.”
As part of the development of the framework, over 300 Walsall residents were asked to define wellbeing and their responses were used to develop a Walsall wide definition “Wellbeing is managing the quality of my life. It’s the things I do and have that make me happy and make my life better”.
The directory of services, shaped by the framework, will enable citizens and professionals such as social prescribers to find out about the 850 + local wellbeing offers available, at the click of a button. It will also provide links to key national organisations, operating locally, that support people to help themselves.
The range of support opportunities that will be included, are for example physical and mental health, leisure activities, social groups, benefit support, debt management, housing support, education and training opportunities, , connections to nature and the environment, use of technology and/or the internet and faith and religion groups.
