Trust hosts ‘Making Life Better’ Event 

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust recently hosted the first ‘Making Life Better’ Showcase event for the Southern Area.

Almost 120 delegates from the Trust and other organisations attended the event which focused on improving public health and encouraging people to take steps to improve their health and well-being through empowerment, innovation and partnership working.

Over 50 services and approaches to improving public health were showcased at the event by organisations providing support to our local communities (including the Trust and commissioners, local councils and the community and the voluntary sector).

Delegates were provided with information on a range of initiatives from those focusing on the mental health and wellbeing of infants to those addressing social inclusion and the reduction of loneliness amongst older people in our communities. They also had the opportunity to network with others and share learning and ideas. 

Making Life Better, the 10-year public health framework for Northern Ireland, seeks to create the conditions for individuals and communities to take control of their own lives and aims for a society where all people are enabled and supported to achieve their full health and wellbeing potential and to reduce inequalities in health.

Gerard Rocks, Acting Assistant Director for Promoting Wellbeing within the Trust said: “Health and wellbeing is not something that can be delivered by the statutory health and social care sector alone. We need to continue to work in partnership with others across all sectors to make sure that we are reaching the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in our communities and always seeking to improve how services and supports are delivered where they are needed most. 

“This event has provided an excellent opportunity to strengthen partnerships that already exist and to set ourselves up for joint working across sectors for the future.”