A couple of times a year East Lothian Health Network hold what are termed “general meetings” to which anyone in the county can attend and find out more about the work of the network and join up. The first part of the meeting is given over to a topic or suitable issue of interest before going on to hold a “business meeting” of the Steering Group. This first meeting of the year, in January is when people are appointed to the Steering Group and elected – when due – as Network Reps to the CHP.
I attended last weeks meeting where the topic of interest was “healthy happy bairns” or Support From The Start to give it its formal title. There were a couple of Health Visitors from the local GP clinic in attendance, though I use that term loosely as they pointed out their service was being renamed as part of changes.
The western end of East Lothian was chosen as one of 8 “test” sites (that’s pilot to you and me). The aim of the initiative is to help children from about 3 years of age to see if health promotion, healthy eating, oral care can be delivered and work to improve their lives. Whether it does work will need to wait 4/5 years. It is about using small sums of money (5 figures) to give to small groups to help people, disseminating information, using existing groups, linking them together not re-inventing the wheel. The videos that were shown detailed how local people involved in the project had seen an improvement in their own families, how children were more confident and healthier, how parents – single and otherwise – were also becoming more confident as they were brought into and, in some cases, assumed responsibility for managing the groups. It was being able to access information and services they didn’t know existed to help them. By doing so everyone’s health was improved. Intervention for children at this early age seemed to help parents as well as children.
The two nurses mentioned that they had seen a lack of provision in North Berwick to help young mothers but especially in professional women. These were women who worked in Edinburgh, had networks their but have moved to the town. When they had their child, they suddenly realised they had no support network locally. All their connections (family, friends) were in Edinburgh. They needed help and this type of scheme may be of help to them.
More information about help, groups and facilities in the town is needed. A one stop shop listing all services available is needed for everyone.
