Health Improvement

Health improvement is defined as the area of public health practice concerned with improving the health and well being of populations and reducing inequalities by using health promotion, prevention and community development approaches to influence the lifestyle and socio-economic, physical and cultural environment of populations, communities and individuals.

To improve the sexual health and wellbeing of the population by reducing inequalities and contributing to a culture that is positive about human sexuality.

Health improvement practice take a partnership working approach to build capacity in a range of organisations to enable them to positively influence the health of the people they provide services for.

This can range from voluntary and community groups through to local councils and the private sector.

Health improvement uses various techniques such as providing information, staff training and development, conducting research and needs assessment or developing staff policy and guidance.

The Health Improvement Team does not provide any services directly to members of the public or run workshops for clients.

In line with national policy, the team focuses on two overarching key health improvement priorities.

1) Prevention of new HIV infections.

2) Addressing the sexual health and relationships of young people including measures to reduce teenage conceptions.

The work programme for the team is organised to focus the greatest amount of staff time and resources to best meet the needs of those populations for whom these issues are of key concern while still providing a level of universal level whole population provision.

Sexual health improvement work is planned and delivered across each of the six local authority areas in NHSGGC through local planning partnerships for sexual health.

The work of the team is planned annually and is thematically organised into work streams of specific activity which are provided across the whole health board area.

Health Improvement Work streams

• Providing Free Condoms to those who most need them
• Facilitating Learning and Education for Staff
• Public Information and Communication
• Supporting Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education in schools
• Developing Protective Early Years Establishments
• Meeting the needs of Looked After Young People
• Meeting the needs of Young people in informal settings
• Providing Parents and Carers with support on communicating with children about growing up
• Providing positive sexual health for men who have sex with men
• HIV Prevention for Black Africans
• Addressing stigma faced by people living with HIV
• Supporting People with learning disabilities to experience positive relationships