Looking After You
How people’s lifestyles have been impacted by Covid-19 in the LS25/LS26 Local Care Partnership area.
The percentage of the population registered as obese is higher in the LS25 and LS26 areas of Leeds compared to the city as a whole and therefore tackling obesity is one of the LS25 & LS26 Local Care Partnership’s current priorities. The local care partnership is a group of health and care professionals who are working together to improve health and care services in these postcode areas.
Looking after You report: One year on, what’s changed?
Click on the image on the left to see an update from the LS25 and LS26 Local Care Partnership (LCP) to the action plan they produced in response to the recommendations we made.
Highlights
Two Health and wellbeing coaches have started in post at local GP surgeries and have used the information from the report to shape the service.
Rothwell leisure centre are increasing target activities according to needs and wishes of population and linking with the health and wellbeing coaches in the area to find out this information.
Through the Active Travel project, solutions to promote more cycling and walking were coproduced with local residents in the summer of 2021. One of these (a booklet of local walks) is currently being printed. These walks will be promoted by the health and wellbeing coaches and are available on the free ‘Love Exploring’ app.
The Active Travel project in Garforth and Rothwell will look at supporting local behaviour change to promote cycling, walking or even scooting short local journeys instead of using the car.
Looking after you
This report was commissioned by the LS25 & LS26 Local Care Partnership to explore how Covid-19 had impacted the lifestyle of people living in the areas of Leeds covered by these postcode areas. An online survey asked people questions about how Covid had impacted their attitudes, lifestyle, activity levels and diet. The following findings will inform the next steps required as a partnership to support those living with obesity.
Conclusions
Isolation has increased mental ill health, particularly amongst younger people and has negative effects on the motivation to be active, particularly when walking, cycling, or running are the principal activities available.
The changes that are taking place in lifestyle are quite small and whilst home cooking from scratch for example is increasing, so is the apparent increase in alcohol consumption, though this is not easy to accurately assess as the opportunities for social drinking are reduced.
Improving appropriate, safe and easy access to both health and care services and formal exercise facilities are considered by the public to be the greatest opportunities for improving wellbeing and reducing obesity.
Action plan from the LS25 and LS26 Local Care partnership
Click on the image on the left to see the action plan produced by the LS25 and LS26 Local Care Partnership (LCP) in response to the recommendations we made in our report. They will be using the three main issues (weight and fitness; mental health; and access to GP services) highlighted by the report as the basis of the LCPs work plan for 2021-22.
Key Actions:
The Primary Care Network Health and Wellbeing team are recruiting Occupational Therapists, Dieticians, and Health and Wellbeing Coaches. They will use our recommendations to feed into their work and job descriptions.
Map what sports and leisure facilities are in the area, and analyse if there are missing activities/services once things have fully reopened. This will influence any commissioning of new services or facilities.
The Active Travel project in Garforth and Rothwell will look at supporting local behaviour change to promote cycling, walking or even scooting short local journeys instead of using the car.