Be Well Doncaster Annual Report 2021-22

Read more about what Be Well Doncaster has been doing in 2021-2022

Be Well Doncaster provides person-centred, one to one behaviour change support through nine trained Health and Wellbeing Coaches across the borough. The approach utilises motivational interviewing techniques and evidence based behaviour change tools to provide a person-centred approach to identify and address the root causes of ill health and improve the quality of life of each person supported. The approach is delivered in partnership with North, South and East Primary Care Networks and provide a one to one and population health approach to addresses inequalities.

Be Well Doncaster went live in March 2021 and the programme has received referrals from a wide range of health, social care and Voluntary Community and Faith Sector (VCFS) partners. This collaborative approach has allowed a smoother referral pathway and joint working around residents care. In December Be Well Doncaster launched a self-referral process, allowing residents to begin working with a coach directly by either texting or emailing the Coaches. The self-referral process is particularly well suited to people who find it difficult to visit their GP practice during surgery opening hours or residents who are not currently involved with an existing service.

Be Well Doncaster coaches feed insight from supporting residents into Well Doncaster’s wider community development work to ensure appropriate and accessible hyper local support and understand any gaps in community services. Delivering best practice health coaching is a key priority and all Coaches have undertaken specialised training in health coaching and Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine and are provided with on- going support and reflective practice opportunities which supports further skill enhancement and behaviour change.

A population health approach has been embedded within Be Well Doncaster as we build a network of community based peer groups to support residents to manage their long term health conditions including Pre-Diabetes , Diabetes , Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain, Respiratory Conditions and Wellbeing. The groups are peer led and are joined by a different guest speaker each month as requested by the group members. Guest speakers have included local Pharmacists, Nurses, Dietitians, Yoga teachers and Aromatherapists.

The peer groups encourage people to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence to self-manage their health conditions, develop peer relationships and demonstrate what services/activities are available in their local community. The peer groups are shaped around the preferences, needs and values of the members.

“When I attended my first chronic pain group at Conisbrough in 2020 I was surprised at how many people there was. After being diagnosed for approx. 8yrs I hadn’t found any support groups or known anyone else with fibromyalgia so I was looking forward to it.

Then lockdown happened and the group went online which I found a lifeline as it was quite lonely during lockdown. I was very interested in the different speakers that were organised. I totally understand depression plays a big part in people’s life so I believe it’s important for these groups to be available to give support, advice and learn new things. I am especially enjoying the fibromyalgia workout with Functional Fitness.”

Peer Group Member

Be Well Doncaster has been able to drawn on the extensive learning from Well Doncaster which has been actively working with communities since 2015 building a growing local evidence based of using community centred approaches to address individual and population health and wealth inequalities. This learning has fed into the development of a logic model to shape Be Well Doncaster into 2025 Using a Contribution Analysis approach, the logic model sets out the key outputs, enablers, outcomes and evaluation approach. The logic model will be regularly reviewed and used to guide and monitor the approach and its impact.

Read the full report.