The RSPH Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards

Jenny Griffiths; Richard Parish; Sue Behenna; Claire Campbell; Chris French; Lina Toleikyte; Carol J. Weir

doi:10.1177/1757913908098882

The RSPH Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards

Jenny Griffiths^*, Richard Parish, Sue Behenna, Claire Campbell, Chris French, Lina Toleikyte, Carol J. Weir

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of â€œvision, voice and practiceâ€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the â€œsettingsâ€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	42-46
Number of pages	5
Journal	Perspectives in Public Health
Volume	129
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/1757913908098882
Publication status	Published - Jan 2009
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Griffiths Jenny OBE, FFPH, FRSPH, BA Hons, MSc Royal Society for Public Health, 52 Brushfield Way, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey GU21 2TQ, [email protected] Parish Richard FFPH, FRSPH Executive, Royal Society for Public Health Behenna Sue MCIPD Development Manager, NHS Plymouth Campbell Claire MBA, RGN, DipN Lond, BSc Hons Executive, NHS North Lancashire French Chris North East Essex Primary Care Trust Toleikyte Lina BSc, MSc Sefton Primary Care Trust Weir Carol J BSc Hons, RD, RPHNutr, MSc NHS Rotherham 01 2009 129 1 42 46 The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of â€œvision, voice and practiceâ€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the â€œsettingsâ€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth. health promotion awards settings sagemeta-type Other search-text 42 ArticleThe RSPH Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards SAGE Publications, Inc.200910.1177/1757913908098882 JennyGriffiths OBE, FFPH, FRSPH, BA Hons, MSc Royal Society for Public Health, 52 Brushfield Way, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey GU21 2TQ, [email protected] RichardParish FFPH, FRSPH Executive, Royal Society for Public Health SueBehenna MCIPD Development Manager, NHS Plymouth ClaireCampbell MBA, RGN, DipN Lond, BSc Hons Executive, NHS North Lancashire ChrisFrench North East Essex Primary Care Trust LinaToleikyte BSc, MSc Sefton Primary Care Trust Carol JWeir BSc Hons, RD, RPHNutr, MSc NHS Rotherham Authors Corresponding author: Jenny Griffiths, as above Key words health promotion awards settings The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of â€œvision, voice and practiceâ€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the â€œsettingsâ€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth. Abstract INTRODUCTION The new Royal Society for Public Health's (RSPH) Health Promotion and Community Well- Being Organization and Partnership Awards (the Health Promotion Awards) raise the profile of health promotion and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. The Awards demonstrate the importance of health promotion to the mission and purpose of the RSPH itself and to public health and well-being in the UK. The scheme has been developed in 2007/08 in partnership with four NHS primary care trusts (North East Essex, North Lancashire, Plymouth and Rotherham) and a partnership of the NHS, local authority and Council for Voluntary Service in Sefton. International evidence demonstrates that vibrant, effective health-promotion strategies and a strong workforce are essential to improve the health of the public and reduce inequalities in health. In many parts of the world health promotion is firmly embedded in national policies, objectives and targets. In England repeated NHS reorganizations through the 1990s, loss of national leadership and lack of understanding of good health promotion theory and practice has caused a partial eclipse from which health promotion is only now emerging. In 2005 the report of the project was published, Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS, commissioned by the Department of Health and the Welsh Assembly Government.1 The report defined the contribution of specialized health promotion in the context of national public health policy, identified the rightful position of the workforce within the multi-disciplinary model of public health, and proposed a workforce development 43 strategy. Recommendations were made concerning: â—† Recognition and advocacy for health promotion â—† Improving capacity for health promotion â—† Developing career progression, professional development and regulation of the workforce In 2006 the RSPH led the formation of the Shaping the Future collaboration, with the aim of ensuring that the recommendations of the 2005 report were implemented. The partners are the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education, led and hosted by the RSPH. An excellent example of partnership working, the collaboration has been funded by the UK Departments of Health. Its action plan encompasses communication, advocacy, competence standards, regulation and support for the academic base for health promotion (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion .org.uk for more information). The Health Promotion Awards are embedded in 20 years of international experience of the theory and practice of empowering people and communities to gain control over the underlying factors that influence their health and well-being.2 The Ottawa Charter,3 which remains â€œthe spinal cord of health-promotion practiceâ€�, summarizes the purpose of health promotion as advocating for, mediating and enabling the: â—† Building of healthy public policy â—† Creation of supportive environments â—† Strengthening of community action â—† Development of personal skills â—† Reorienting of health services THE AWARDS SCHEME For any Awards scheme to succeed, it must be worthwhile for applicants to go to the not inconsiderable effort involved in submitting evidence and undergoing assessment. The Health Promotion Awards offer applicants a high professional and political profile, which will be achieved through drawing Award winners to the attention of key opinion-formers and showcasing their work at conferences and in publications. Achieving an Award provides external endorsement of an organization's achievements, which can be used with regulatory agencies, and strengthens its profile in the community, as well as being developmental for the organization itself. The Awards are now open to health organizations, local authorities, non-governmental and private sector organizations in the four UK countries and the Republic of Ireland. Applications from partnerships of organizations are strongly encouraged, as health promotion is quintessentially a partnership endeavour. Applications can be made at any time and are based on a portfolio of existing documentary evidence. Awards will be presented at the annual RSPH Awards ceremony. An Award will be made for three years, after which the organization will need to reapply. The criteria and assessment process have been developed with the full participation of the initial group of applicants. The RSPH decides to make an Award on the basis of a qualitative person-to-person assessment by peers (including a panel challenge), rather than a remote consideration of standards: this is not a form of inspection or performance management. For those who are not yet ready for the full Award, a â€œhighly commendedâ€� category is offered to acknowledge progress, with the opportunity to submit more evidence for a full Award in due course. The RSPH's Health Promotion Awards have a powerful pedigree in the World Health Organization's programmes for Healthy Cities, Health-Promoting Hospitals and Health-Promoting Universities,4 inspired by the focus on â€œsettingsâ€� in the Ottawa Charter, that all settings of social life and activity should provide greater opportunities for promoting health. The fundamental emphasis of the RSPH Awards is on the organization having strong processes for developing and implementing strategies and plans, funding services and supporting the health-promotion workforce. This focus on whole- organization policies is different from, for example, the Health and Social Care Awards from the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (in partnership with the Department of Health), which recognize innovation and excellence in front-line services. Organizations and partnerships submit a portfolio of documentary evidence, together with a detailed commentary, to enable assessment against criteria that include: 1. Top-level leadership for health promotion 2. Developing and implementing strategies based on the principles in the Ottawa Charter 3. Having strategies that are clearly resourced 4. Engaging the public in the develop- ment of plans 5. Strong programme and project management arrangements 6. Implementing health-promotion strategies over a sustained period of time 7. Monitoring and evaluation of outputs and outcomes of programmes 8. Working in partnership with other organizations, communities and groups 9. Staff responsible for health promo- tion having relevant qualifications, experience and arrangements for learning and development 10. The organization providing a health- promoting workplace for staff SHOWCASING BEST PRACTICE One of the aims of the Health Promotion Awards is to publicize and share good practice, and to enable organizations to learn from each other. The five initial applicants who have developed the Awards with the RSPH have all submitted excellent evidence. Five examples follow, linked to some of the criteria. Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network Sefton Primary Care Trust, Borough Council and Council for Voluntary Services applied for a Partnership Award. Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network demonstrates the high 44 level of joint working achieved, as well as a strong commitment to the â€œsettings approachâ€�, a key concept for health promotion (Award criteria 2 and 8). Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network was established in the light of the Health-Promoting Hospitals programme from the World Health Organization. The network provides a forum for public-sector organizations across the borough and helps to achieve healthier environments and improve quality of service by sharing best practice. It now engages six local NHS hospitals, Sefton Primary Care Trust (PCT), Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, Sefton Council for Voluntary Services (CVS), a newly established prison, the fire service and a community cinema. All network members have shown great commitment to integrating the concepts of health promotion into their organizational structure and culture and have strongly endorsed the approach at board level. The network has been acknowledged as an excellent source of learning and mutual support to improve the delivery of health promotion. Progress is regularly shared with a wide range of other networks nationally and internationally. A Strategy for Healthier Organizations, Better health, better staff, better services, produced in Sefton was the first formal document in the north west to highlight the importance of becoming a healthier organization for settings other than hospitals. Sefton PCT, Sefton CVS and Sefton Council endorsed the strategy and committed to embedding health promotion into the everyday work of organizations within the local strategic partnership (LSP). Collaboration among these organizations in addressing health determinants has been set out in four key areas of work: â—† Promotion and support of healthy living during day-to-day contact with the public â—† Contribution to the corporate social responsibility agenda, as major employers, providers and procurers of services â—† Empowerment of staff â—† Empowerment of communities The increasing focus on health outcomes reconfirms the priority of investment in the determinants of health through organizational health promotion. The next stage of development of the Health- Promoting Settings Network will be to reach out to small to medium-sized businesses in Sefton. North East Essex Youth Health Trainers North East Essex Primary Care Trust's evidence was particularly strong on health promotion for young people (Award criterion 2). As well as a wide range of initiatives under the banner of Healthy Schools, they have developed a Youth Health Trainer scheme. The PCT-led Youth Health Trainer scheme was developed in collaboration with schools, school nurses and other agencies, including Essex Young People Drug and Alcohol Service, Teen Talk, Open Road and the police. The health trainers (all from Year 11) are a primary source of information for young people, providing advice on health and lifestyle matters, and they act as informed signposters to key services. The health trainers also facilitate a variety of health- promotion events within the school and give valuable feedback on how current services are provided and on changes that can be made to improve accessibility. They are predominantly based in a school setting, but have developed strong links within the local community and assist local young people in taking steps to improve their own health. Each youth health trainer has attended a three-day tailored programme on key areas of health improvement, including Level 1 (brief and opportunistic intervention) smoking cessation, drugs and alcohol, nutrition and eating disorders, emotional health and well- being, personal safety, health-promotion techniques, physical activity and sexual health. They hold an up-to-date directory of local services and contact details of relevant services to signpost and refer their peers to, with appropriate referral criteria. The project is overseen by a part-time PCT-employed coordinator who is responsible for the recruitment of the health trainers, their ongoing training and support, promotion and evaluation of the scheme. The health trainers act as advocates for positive health behaviour and are often more trusted than non-peer informants, particularly with marginalized young people. They can build trust between young people and the services they are promoting. They have created opportunities to develop innovative methods of health-promotion delivery. The programme encourages young people to take an interest in and ownership of their own health. Health Equity Audits in NHS Rotherham Rotherham PCT and Council have a strategic framework, â€œRotherham Achieving, Learning, Alive, Safe and Proudâ€�, which resonates through the PCT's impressive range of evidence on tackling the wider determinants of health and health inequalities. Their Health Equity Audit programme is a major tool in their armoury (Award criteria 3, 5, 7). Health Equity Audit (HEA) is a tool used to identify and address inequalities, focusing on how fairly resources are distributed in relation to the health needs of different groups. HEA enables statutory agencies and the LSP to systematically review inequities in ill- health or in access to effective services. HEA is used in practice in Rotherham in the following ways: â—† To develop a common understanding of local health inequalities and ensure that resources are allocated appropriately â—† To inform commissioning to make services more accessible and appropriate â—† To provide evidence to show whether local health needs are being met â—† To provide a common framework for audits to be undertaken to examine the effect of services on health inequalities â—† To encourage community involvement by providing information on inequities 45 in services that allows groups to lobby for improved resource allocation HEA is most effective where there is a perception of inequity in access, quality or outcomes of particular services or for a particular group. Critically, there needs to be sufficient data available to quantify any inequity, opportunities for change, support from key partners to drive any necessary changes, and organizational commitment to make changes and review progress. Rotherham PCT secured Neighbourhood Renewal Funding to employ a dedicated full-time HEA development post. The aim of the post, which has now been mainstreamed, and the HEA programme was to carry out key HEAs and begin to embed some of the principles of equity into PCT and LSP planning processes. For example, a coronary heart disease (CHD) HEA was recently undertaken that showed inequity in service provision between GP practices. Each individual practice was visited and actions agreed to improve services, leading to more equitable provision and a demonstrable narrowing of the gap in CHD mortality between the 25% most deprived areas/practices and Rotherham as a whole. Public engagement in North Lancashire NHS North Lancashire's evidence was good on public engagement (Award criterion 4) including their Affiliate Scheme. The North Lancashire Teaching PCT (NLTPCT) Affiliate Scheme is a mechanism for engaging and involving local people and communities to share views, gauge opinion and introduce the organization to the resident population. The scheme, the first of its kind in a PCT setting, fully embraces the ethos of public involvement. It informs and enables the local population to have a direct impact on the PCT's strategies. The Affiliate Scheme is not intended to be a replacement for the organization's statutory duties, but serves to enhance these obligations. Affiliate members include PCT staff, patients, their carers and the general public. Anyone working or living within the geographical area is eligible to join. The scheme provides a system of flexible, tiered membership with a choice of level of engagement. Members are logged onto a database, identifying areas of specific interest and preferred level of involvement. Affiliates can opt to receive email or hard-copy newsletters relating to activities and developments or to take part in online polls and questionnaires. They can get involved by attending focus or working groups related to specific areas and/or interests or by joining PCT and partnership organization committees, for example, on equality and human rights or strategic planning. An affiliate chairman has been appointed from the membership for an initial period of two years. He will be supported by the appointment of three locality leads from the PCT boroughs who will support the development of a work plan and activity programme. The scheme is providing significant opportunities to raise the profile of NLTPCT both locally and nationally and has been commended by the North West Strategic Health Authority. The PCT has been approached by neighbouring organizations to introduce similar schemes. Health at Work in Plymouth NHS Plymouth's submission featured a strong suite of evidence for Award criterion 10, developing health-promoting workplaces. Plymouth Teaching PCT believes that it can play a valuable part in influencing employees' health and well-being and that a healthy workplace is a fundamental right. The PCT was the first in the south west to be awarded the Department of Health's Improving Working Lives Practice Plus Standard in September 2005. The PCT's Supporting Working Lives and Well-Being Strategy Group, of managers and staff who are â€œchampionsâ€� of health and well-being, have been working to integrate well- being practices into corporate strategy jointly with trade union partners and in collaboration with the Public Health Development Unit. The NHS Annual Staff Survey provides valuable insight into how staff are feeling and what can be done to improve the working environment. One of the outcomes of the findings was the commissioning of Exeter University to carry out a PCT-wide Stress Survey, the results of which have led to a range of developments: â—† The development of an Employee Assistance Programme â—† The appointment of a Family Care Coordinator â—† The development of quiet rooms â—† Better provision of occupational health services â—† The provision of a personalized annual leave scheme, which allows staff to request to â€œpurchaseâ€� up to two weeks additional annual leave per year â—† Signing up as a Mindful Employer Charter organization to better understand and support staff with mental illness â—† A new systematic approach to making and reviewing reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act at 12-monthly intervals â—† A Harassment and Bullying Advisor Team â€“ staff specialists trained to support colleagues who might feel they are victims of bullying â—† A Bikes for Work scheme â—† Better sickness-management strategies â—† A new Core Management Training and Development programme The PCT is now undertaking the Health at Work Award assessment, a Business Health Network initiative that sits within the Public Health Development Unit to help focus on smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating and stress. NHS Plymouth believes that a healthy workplace requires employee engagement and the integration of a wide range of health issues throughout the organization. 46 CONCLUSION Even in the developmental phase, the RSPH's Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards have shown clearly how exemplar organizations that take health promotion seriously are successful in improving health. Health promotion specialists design and commission, manage and deliver public health programmes with an effective mix of interventions, in the right places, at the right times, responding to real-life complexity and the need for action at all levels from policy to individuals in communities. They are resolutely focused on reducing inequalities in health and bringing to bear evidence to achieve change, as in Rotherham PCT's HEA programme. They are good at building capacity for health, through training and supporting the wider public health workforce, for example the Youth Health Trainer scheme in North East Essex. Health-promotion specialists help organizations to develop their health- promoting potential. Successful â€œsettings-basedâ€� health-promotion programmes use a range of interventions in settings such as hospitals, schools and workplaces, as in the Sefton Health-Promoting Settings Network. Perhaps most importantly, health promotion is based on empowerment, which is proven to be an effective tool for health improvement, using processes that enable, advocate and mediate, to help people gain greater control over their lives. This is shown effectively in NHS North Lancashire's Affiliates Scheme and NHS Plymouth's programme for Health at Work. If you are interested in applying for an Award, please contact the RSPH. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The RSPH is grateful to the five initial applicants for their commitment to the Awards scheme, their contribution to the development of the criteria, and the time they have given to the peer review process. References Department of Health and Welsh Assembly Government. Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS. London: Department of Health, 2005 International Union for Health Promotion and Education & Canadian Consortium for Health Promotion Research. Shaping the Future of Health Promotion: Priorities for Action. Saint-Denis Cedex: International Union for Health Promotion and Education, 2007. www.iuhpe.org World Health Organization. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Ottawa: World Health Organization, 1986. www.who.int/ hpr/NPH/docs/ottawa_charter_hp.pdf Tsouros AD, Dowding G, Thompson J, Dooris M (eds). Health-Promoting Universities: Concept, Experience and Framework for Action. Copenhagen : World Health Organization, 1998 . www.yskyeung.com/public/tmp/ hkccm_asm/e60163.pdf Department of Health and Welsh Assembly Government. Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS . London : Department of Health , 2005 International Union for Health Promotion and Education & Canadian Consortium for Health Promotion Research. Shaping the Future of Health Promotion: Priorities for Action . Saint-Denis Cedex : International Union for Health Promotion and Education , 2007 . www.iuhpe.org World Health Organization. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion . Ottawa : World Health Organization , 1986 . www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/ottawa_charter_hp.pdf Tsouros AD , Dowding G , Thompson J , Dooris M (eds). Health-Promoting Universities: Concept, Experience and Framework for Action . Copenhagen : World Health Organization , 1998 . www.yskyeung.com/public/tmp/hkccm_asm/e60163.pdf

Keywords

awards
health promotion
settings

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1177/1757913908098882

Cite this

@article{d4f6b60b2002413dab0fae879d6d07bc,

title = "The RSPH Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards",

abstract = "The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of {\^a}€{\oe}vision, voice and practice{\^a}€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the {\^a}€{\oe}settings{\^a}€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth.",

keywords = "awards, health promotion, settings",

author = "Jenny Griffiths and Richard Parish and Sue Behenna and Claire Campbell and Chris French and Lina Toleikyte and Weir, {Carol J.}",

note = "Funding Information: Griffiths Jenny OBE, FFPH, FRSPH, BA Hons, MSc Royal Society for Public Health, 52 Brushfield Way, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey GU21 2TQ, [email protected] Parish Richard FFPH, FRSPH Executive, Royal Society for Public Health Behenna Sue MCIPD Development Manager, NHS Plymouth Campbell Claire MBA, RGN, DipN Lond, BSc Hons Executive, NHS North Lancashire French Chris North East Essex Primary Care Trust Toleikyte Lina BSc, MSc Sefton Primary Care Trust Weir Carol J BSc Hons, RD, RPHNutr, MSc NHS Rotherham 01 2009 129 1 42 46 The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of {\^a}€{\oe}vision, voice and practice{\^a}€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the {\^a}€{\oe}settings{\^a}€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth. health promotion awards settings sagemeta-type Other search-text 42 ArticleThe RSPH Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards SAGE Publications, Inc.200910.1177/1757913908098882 JennyGriffiths OBE, FFPH, FRSPH, BA Hons, MSc Royal Society for Public Health, 52 Brushfield Way, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey GU21 2TQ, [email protected] RichardParish FFPH, FRSPH Executive, Royal Society for Public Health SueBehenna MCIPD Development Manager, NHS Plymouth ClaireCampbell MBA, RGN, DipN Lond, BSc Hons Executive, NHS North Lancashire ChrisFrench North East Essex Primary Care Trust LinaToleikyte BSc, MSc Sefton Primary Care Trust Carol JWeir BSc Hons, RD, RPHNutr, MSc NHS Rotherham Authors Corresponding author: Jenny Griffiths, as above Key words health promotion awards settings The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of {\^a}€{\oe}vision, voice and practice{\^a}€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the {\^a}€{\oe}settings{\^a}€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth. Abstract INTRODUCTION The new Royal Society for Public Health's (RSPH) Health Promotion and Community Well- Being Organization and Partnership Awards (the Health Promotion Awards) raise the profile of health promotion and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. The Awards demonstrate the importance of health promotion to the mission and purpose of the RSPH itself and to public health and well-being in the UK. The scheme has been developed in 2007/08 in partnership with four NHS primary care trusts (North East Essex, North Lancashire, Plymouth and Rotherham) and a partnership of the NHS, local authority and Council for Voluntary Service in Sefton. International evidence demonstrates that vibrant, effective health-promotion strategies and a strong workforce are essential to improve the health of the public and reduce inequalities in health. In many parts of the world health promotion is firmly embedded in national policies, objectives and targets. In England repeated NHS reorganizations through the 1990s, loss of national leadership and lack of understanding of good health promotion theory and practice has caused a partial eclipse from which health promotion is only now emerging. In 2005 the report of the project was published, Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS, commissioned by the Department of Health and the Welsh Assembly Government.1 The report defined the contribution of specialized health promotion in the context of national public health policy, identified the rightful position of the workforce within the multi-disciplinary model of public health, and proposed a workforce development 43 strategy. Recommendations were made concerning: {\^a}—† Recognition and advocacy for health promotion {\^a}—† Improving capacity for health promotion {\^a}—† Developing career progression, professional development and regulation of the workforce In 2006 the RSPH led the formation of the Shaping the Future collaboration, with the aim of ensuring that the recommendations of the 2005 report were implemented. The partners are the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education, led and hosted by the RSPH. An excellent example of partnership working, the collaboration has been funded by the UK Departments of Health. Its action plan encompasses communication, advocacy, competence standards, regulation and support for the academic base for health promotion (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion .org.uk for more information). The Health Promotion Awards are embedded in 20 years of international experience of the theory and practice of empowering people and communities to gain control over the underlying factors that influence their health and well-being.2 The Ottawa Charter,3 which remains {\^a}€{\oe}the spinal cord of health-promotion practice{\^a}€�, summarizes the purpose of health promotion as advocating for, mediating and enabling the: {\^a}—† Building of healthy public policy {\^a}—† Creation of supportive environments {\^a}—† Strengthening of community action {\^a}—† Development of personal skills {\^a}—† Reorienting of health services THE AWARDS SCHEME For any Awards scheme to succeed, it must be worthwhile for applicants to go to the not inconsiderable effort involved in submitting evidence and undergoing assessment. The Health Promotion Awards offer applicants a high professional and political profile, which will be achieved through drawing Award winners to the attention of key opinion-formers and showcasing their work at conferences and in publications. Achieving an Award provides external endorsement of an organization's achievements, which can be used with regulatory agencies, and strengthens its profile in the community, as well as being developmental for the organization itself. The Awards are now open to health organizations, local authorities, non-governmental and private sector organizations in the four UK countries and the Republic of Ireland. Applications from partnerships of organizations are strongly encouraged, as health promotion is quintessentially a partnership endeavour. Applications can be made at any time and are based on a portfolio of existing documentary evidence. Awards will be presented at the annual RSPH Awards ceremony. An Award will be made for three years, after which the organization will need to reapply. The criteria and assessment process have been developed with the full participation of the initial group of applicants. The RSPH decides to make an Award on the basis of a qualitative person-to-person assessment by peers (including a panel challenge), rather than a remote consideration of standards: this is not a form of inspection or performance management. For those who are not yet ready for the full Award, a {\^a}€{\oe}highly commended{\^a}€� category is offered to acknowledge progress, with the opportunity to submit more evidence for a full Award in due course. The RSPH's Health Promotion Awards have a powerful pedigree in the World Health Organization's programmes for Healthy Cities, Health-Promoting Hospitals and Health-Promoting Universities,4 inspired by the focus on {\^a}€{\oe}settings{\^a}€� in the Ottawa Charter, that all settings of social life and activity should provide greater opportunities for promoting health. The fundamental emphasis of the RSPH Awards is on the organization having strong processes for developing and implementing strategies and plans, funding services and supporting the health-promotion workforce. This focus on whole- organization policies is different from, for example, the Health and Social Care Awards from the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (in partnership with the Department of Health), which recognize innovation and excellence in front-line services. Organizations and partnerships submit a portfolio of documentary evidence, together with a detailed commentary, to enable assessment against criteria that include: 1. Top-level leadership for health promotion 2. Developing and implementing strategies based on the principles in the Ottawa Charter 3. Having strategies that are clearly resourced 4. Engaging the public in the develop- ment of plans 5. Strong programme and project management arrangements 6. Implementing health-promotion strategies over a sustained period of time 7. Monitoring and evaluation of outputs and outcomes of programmes 8. Working in partnership with other organizations, communities and groups 9. Staff responsible for health promo- tion having relevant qualifications, experience and arrangements for learning and development 10. The organization providing a health- promoting workplace for staff SHOWCASING BEST PRACTICE One of the aims of the Health Promotion Awards is to publicize and share good practice, and to enable organizations to learn from each other. The five initial applicants who have developed the Awards with the RSPH have all submitted excellent evidence. Five examples follow, linked to some of the criteria. Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network Sefton Primary Care Trust, Borough Council and Council for Voluntary Services applied for a Partnership Award. Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network demonstrates the high 44 level of joint working achieved, as well as a strong commitment to the {\^a}€{\oe}settings approach{\^a}€�, a key concept for health promotion (Award criteria 2 and 8). Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network was established in the light of the Health-Promoting Hospitals programme from the World Health Organization. The network provides a forum for public-sector organizations across the borough and helps to achieve healthier environments and improve quality of service by sharing best practice. It now engages six local NHS hospitals, Sefton Primary Care Trust (PCT), Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, Sefton Council for Voluntary Services (CVS), a newly established prison, the fire service and a community cinema. All network members have shown great commitment to integrating the concepts of health promotion into their organizational structure and culture and have strongly endorsed the approach at board level. The network has been acknowledged as an excellent source of learning and mutual support to improve the delivery of health promotion. Progress is regularly shared with a wide range of other networks nationally and internationally. A Strategy for Healthier Organizations, Better health, better staff, better services, produced in Sefton was the first formal document in the north west to highlight the importance of becoming a healthier organization for settings other than hospitals. Sefton PCT, Sefton CVS and Sefton Council endorsed the strategy and committed to embedding health promotion into the everyday work of organizations within the local strategic partnership (LSP). Collaboration among these organizations in addressing health determinants has been set out in four key areas of work: {\^a}—† Promotion and support of healthy living during day-to-day contact with the public {\^a}—† Contribution to the corporate social responsibility agenda, as major employers, providers and procurers of services {\^a}—† Empowerment of staff {\^a}—† Empowerment of communities The increasing focus on health outcomes reconfirms the priority of investment in the determinants of health through organizational health promotion. The next stage of development of the Health- Promoting Settings Network will be to reach out to small to medium-sized businesses in Sefton. North East Essex Youth Health Trainers North East Essex Primary Care Trust's evidence was particularly strong on health promotion for young people (Award criterion 2). As well as a wide range of initiatives under the banner of Healthy Schools, they have developed a Youth Health Trainer scheme. The PCT-led Youth Health Trainer scheme was developed in collaboration with schools, school nurses and other agencies, including Essex Young People Drug and Alcohol Service, Teen Talk, Open Road and the police. The health trainers (all from Year 11) are a primary source of information for young people, providing advice on health and lifestyle matters, and they act as informed signposters to key services. The health trainers also facilitate a variety of health- promotion events within the school and give valuable feedback on how current services are provided and on changes that can be made to improve accessibility. They are predominantly based in a school setting, but have developed strong links within the local community and assist local young people in taking steps to improve their own health. Each youth health trainer has attended a three-day tailored programme on key areas of health improvement, including Level 1 (brief and opportunistic intervention) smoking cessation, drugs and alcohol, nutrition and eating disorders, emotional health and well- being, personal safety, health-promotion techniques, physical activity and sexual health. They hold an up-to-date directory of local services and contact details of relevant services to signpost and refer their peers to, with appropriate referral criteria. The project is overseen by a part-time PCT-employed coordinator who is responsible for the recruitment of the health trainers, their ongoing training and support, promotion and evaluation of the scheme. The health trainers act as advocates for positive health behaviour and are often more trusted than non-peer informants, particularly with marginalized young people. They can build trust between young people and the services they are promoting. They have created opportunities to develop innovative methods of health-promotion delivery. The programme encourages young people to take an interest in and ownership of their own health. Health Equity Audits in NHS Rotherham Rotherham PCT and Council have a strategic framework, {\^a}€{\oe}Rotherham Achieving, Learning, Alive, Safe and Proud{\^a}€�, which resonates through the PCT's impressive range of evidence on tackling the wider determinants of health and health inequalities. Their Health Equity Audit programme is a major tool in their armoury (Award criteria 3, 5, 7). Health Equity Audit (HEA) is a tool used to identify and address inequalities, focusing on how fairly resources are distributed in relation to the health needs of different groups. HEA enables statutory agencies and the LSP to systematically review inequities in ill- health or in access to effective services. HEA is used in practice in Rotherham in the following ways: {\^a}—† To develop a common understanding of local health inequalities and ensure that resources are allocated appropriately {\^a}—† To inform commissioning to make services more accessible and appropriate {\^a}—† To provide evidence to show whether local health needs are being met {\^a}—† To provide a common framework for audits to be undertaken to examine the effect of services on health inequalities {\^a}—† To encourage community involvement by providing information on inequities 45 in services that allows groups to lobby for improved resource allocation HEA is most effective where there is a perception of inequity in access, quality or outcomes of particular services or for a particular group. Critically, there needs to be sufficient data available to quantify any inequity, opportunities for change, support from key partners to drive any necessary changes, and organizational commitment to make changes and review progress. Rotherham PCT secured Neighbourhood Renewal Funding to employ a dedicated full-time HEA development post. The aim of the post, which has now been mainstreamed, and the HEA programme was to carry out key HEAs and begin to embed some of the principles of equity into PCT and LSP planning processes. For example, a coronary heart disease (CHD) HEA was recently undertaken that showed inequity in service provision between GP practices. Each individual practice was visited and actions agreed to improve services, leading to more equitable provision and a demonstrable narrowing of the gap in CHD mortality between the 25% most deprived areas/practices and Rotherham as a whole. Public engagement in North Lancashire NHS North Lancashire's evidence was good on public engagement (Award criterion 4) including their Affiliate Scheme. The North Lancashire Teaching PCT (NLTPCT) Affiliate Scheme is a mechanism for engaging and involving local people and communities to share views, gauge opinion and introduce the organization to the resident population. The scheme, the first of its kind in a PCT setting, fully embraces the ethos of public involvement. It informs and enables the local population to have a direct impact on the PCT's strategies. The Affiliate Scheme is not intended to be a replacement for the organization's statutory duties, but serves to enhance these obligations. Affiliate members include PCT staff, patients, their carers and the general public. Anyone working or living within the geographical area is eligible to join. The scheme provides a system of flexible, tiered membership with a choice of level of engagement. Members are logged onto a database, identifying areas of specific interest and preferred level of involvement. Affiliates can opt to receive email or hard-copy newsletters relating to activities and developments or to take part in online polls and questionnaires. They can get involved by attending focus or working groups related to specific areas and/or interests or by joining PCT and partnership organization committees, for example, on equality and human rights or strategic planning. An affiliate chairman has been appointed from the membership for an initial period of two years. He will be supported by the appointment of three locality leads from the PCT boroughs who will support the development of a work plan and activity programme. The scheme is providing significant opportunities to raise the profile of NLTPCT both locally and nationally and has been commended by the North West Strategic Health Authority. The PCT has been approached by neighbouring organizations to introduce similar schemes. Health at Work in Plymouth NHS Plymouth's submission featured a strong suite of evidence for Award criterion 10, developing health-promoting workplaces. Plymouth Teaching PCT believes that it can play a valuable part in influencing employees' health and well-being and that a healthy workplace is a fundamental right. The PCT was the first in the south west to be awarded the Department of Health's Improving Working Lives Practice Plus Standard in September 2005. The PCT's Supporting Working Lives and Well-Being Strategy Group, of managers and staff who are {\^a}€{\oe}champions{\^a}€� of health and well-being, have been working to integrate well- being practices into corporate strategy jointly with trade union partners and in collaboration with the Public Health Development Unit. The NHS Annual Staff Survey provides valuable insight into how staff are feeling and what can be done to improve the working environment. One of the outcomes of the findings was the commissioning of Exeter University to carry out a PCT-wide Stress Survey, the results of which have led to a range of developments: {\^a}—† The development of an Employee Assistance Programme {\^a}—† The appointment of a Family Care Coordinator {\^a}—† The development of quiet rooms {\^a}—† Better provision of occupational health services {\^a}—† The provision of a personalized annual leave scheme, which allows staff to request to {\^a}€{\oe}purchase{\^a}€� up to two weeks additional annual leave per year {\^a}—† Signing up as a Mindful Employer Charter organization to better understand and support staff with mental illness {\^a}—† A new systematic approach to making and reviewing reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act at 12-monthly intervals {\^a}—† A Harassment and Bullying Advisor Team {\^a}€“ staff specialists trained to support colleagues who might feel they are victims of bullying {\^a}—† A Bikes for Work scheme {\^a}—† Better sickness-management strategies {\^a}—† A new Core Management Training and Development programme The PCT is now undertaking the Health at Work Award assessment, a Business Health Network initiative that sits within the Public Health Development Unit to help focus on smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating and stress. NHS Plymouth believes that a healthy workplace requires employee engagement and the integration of a wide range of health issues throughout the organization. 46 CONCLUSION Even in the developmental phase, the RSPH's Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards have shown clearly how exemplar organizations that take health promotion seriously are successful in improving health. Health promotion specialists design and commission, manage and deliver public health programmes with an effective mix of interventions, in the right places, at the right times, responding to real-life complexity and the need for action at all levels from policy to individuals in communities. They are resolutely focused on reducing inequalities in health and bringing to bear evidence to achieve change, as in Rotherham PCT's HEA programme. They are good at building capacity for health, through training and supporting the wider public health workforce, for example the Youth Health Trainer scheme in North East Essex. Health-promotion specialists help organizations to develop their health- promoting potential. Successful {\^a}€{\oe}settings-based{\^a}€� health-promotion programmes use a range of interventions in settings such as hospitals, schools and workplaces, as in the Sefton Health-Promoting Settings Network. Perhaps most importantly, health promotion is based on empowerment, which is proven to be an effective tool for health improvement, using processes that enable, advocate and mediate, to help people gain greater control over their lives. This is shown effectively in NHS North Lancashire's Affiliates Scheme and NHS Plymouth's programme for Health at Work. If you are interested in applying for an Award, please contact the RSPH. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The RSPH is grateful to the five initial applicants for their commitment to the Awards scheme, their contribution to the development of the criteria, and the time they have given to the peer review process. References Department of Health and Welsh Assembly Government. Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS. London: Department of Health, 2005 International Union for Health Promotion and Education & Canadian Consortium for Health Promotion Research. Shaping the Future of Health Promotion: Priorities for Action. Saint-Denis Cedex: International Union for Health Promotion and Education, 2007. www.iuhpe.org World Health Organization. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Ottawa: World Health Organization, 1986. www.who.int/ hpr/NPH/docs/ottawa_charter_hp.pdf Tsouros AD, Dowding G, Thompson J, Dooris M (eds). Health-Promoting Universities: Concept, Experience and Framework for Action. Copenhagen : World Health Organization, 1998 . www.yskyeung.com/public/tmp/ hkccm_asm/e60163.pdf Department of Health and Welsh Assembly Government. Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS . London : Department of Health , 2005 International Union for Health Promotion and Education & Canadian Consortium for Health Promotion Research. Shaping the Future of Health Promotion: Priorities for Action . Saint-Denis Cedex : International Union for Health Promotion and Education , 2007 . www.iuhpe.org World Health Organization. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion . Ottawa : World Health Organization , 1986 . www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/ottawa_charter_hp.pdf Tsouros AD , Dowding G , Thompson J , Dooris M (eds). Health-Promoting Universities: Concept, Experience and Framework for Action . Copenhagen : World Health Organization , 1998 . www.yskyeung.com/public/tmp/hkccm_asm/e60163.pdf ",

year = "2009",

month = jan,

doi = "10.1177/1757913908098882",

language = "English",

volume = "129",

pages = "42--46",

journal = "Perspectives in Public Health",

issn = "1757-9139",

publisher = "SAGE Publications Ltd",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The RSPH Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards

AU - Griffiths, Jenny

AU - Parish, Richard

AU - Behenna, Sue

AU - Campbell, Claire

AU - French, Chris

AU - Toleikyte, Lina

AU - Weir, Carol J.

N1 - Funding Information: Griffiths Jenny OBE, FFPH, FRSPH, BA Hons, MSc Royal Society for Public Health, 52 Brushfield Way, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey GU21 2TQ, [email protected] Parish Richard FFPH, FRSPH Executive, Royal Society for Public Health Behenna Sue MCIPD Development Manager, NHS Plymouth Campbell Claire MBA, RGN, DipN Lond, BSc Hons Executive, NHS North Lancashire French Chris North East Essex Primary Care Trust Toleikyte Lina BSc, MSc Sefton Primary Care Trust Weir Carol J BSc Hons, RD, RPHNutr, MSc NHS Rotherham 01 2009 129 1 42 46 The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of â€œvision, voice and practiceâ€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the â€œsettingsâ€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth. health promotion awards settings sagemeta-type Other search-text 42 ArticleThe RSPH Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards SAGE Publications, Inc.200910.1177/1757913908098882 JennyGriffiths OBE, FFPH, FRSPH, BA Hons, MSc Royal Society for Public Health, 52 Brushfield Way, Knaphill, Woking, Surrey GU21 2TQ, [email protected] RichardParish FFPH, FRSPH Executive, Royal Society for Public Health SueBehenna MCIPD Development Manager, NHS Plymouth ClaireCampbell MBA, RGN, DipN Lond, BSc Hons Executive, NHS North Lancashire ChrisFrench North East Essex Primary Care Trust LinaToleikyte BSc, MSc Sefton Primary Care Trust Carol JWeir BSc Hons, RD, RPHNutr, MSc NHS Rotherham Authors Corresponding author: Jenny Griffiths, as above Key words health promotion awards settings The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of â€œvision, voice and practiceâ€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the â€œsettingsâ€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth. Abstract INTRODUCTION The new Royal Society for Public Health's (RSPH) Health Promotion and Community Well- Being Organization and Partnership Awards (the Health Promotion Awards) raise the profile of health promotion and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. The Awards demonstrate the importance of health promotion to the mission and purpose of the RSPH itself and to public health and well-being in the UK. The scheme has been developed in 2007/08 in partnership with four NHS primary care trusts (North East Essex, North Lancashire, Plymouth and Rotherham) and a partnership of the NHS, local authority and Council for Voluntary Service in Sefton. International evidence demonstrates that vibrant, effective health-promotion strategies and a strong workforce are essential to improve the health of the public and reduce inequalities in health. In many parts of the world health promotion is firmly embedded in national policies, objectives and targets. In England repeated NHS reorganizations through the 1990s, loss of national leadership and lack of understanding of good health promotion theory and practice has caused a partial eclipse from which health promotion is only now emerging. In 2005 the report of the project was published, Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS, commissioned by the Department of Health and the Welsh Assembly Government.1 The report defined the contribution of specialized health promotion in the context of national public health policy, identified the rightful position of the workforce within the multi-disciplinary model of public health, and proposed a workforce development 43 strategy. Recommendations were made concerning: â—† Recognition and advocacy for health promotion â—† Improving capacity for health promotion â—† Developing career progression, professional development and regulation of the workforce In 2006 the RSPH led the formation of the Shaping the Future collaboration, with the aim of ensuring that the recommendations of the 2005 report were implemented. The partners are the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education, led and hosted by the RSPH. An excellent example of partnership working, the collaboration has been funded by the UK Departments of Health. Its action plan encompasses communication, advocacy, competence standards, regulation and support for the academic base for health promotion (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion .org.uk for more information). The Health Promotion Awards are embedded in 20 years of international experience of the theory and practice of empowering people and communities to gain control over the underlying factors that influence their health and well-being.2 The Ottawa Charter,3 which remains â€œthe spinal cord of health-promotion practiceâ€�, summarizes the purpose of health promotion as advocating for, mediating and enabling the: â—† Building of healthy public policy â—† Creation of supportive environments â—† Strengthening of community action â—† Development of personal skills â—† Reorienting of health services THE AWARDS SCHEME For any Awards scheme to succeed, it must be worthwhile for applicants to go to the not inconsiderable effort involved in submitting evidence and undergoing assessment. The Health Promotion Awards offer applicants a high professional and political profile, which will be achieved through drawing Award winners to the attention of key opinion-formers and showcasing their work at conferences and in publications. Achieving an Award provides external endorsement of an organization's achievements, which can be used with regulatory agencies, and strengthens its profile in the community, as well as being developmental for the organization itself. The Awards are now open to health organizations, local authorities, non-governmental and private sector organizations in the four UK countries and the Republic of Ireland. Applications from partnerships of organizations are strongly encouraged, as health promotion is quintessentially a partnership endeavour. Applications can be made at any time and are based on a portfolio of existing documentary evidence. Awards will be presented at the annual RSPH Awards ceremony. An Award will be made for three years, after which the organization will need to reapply. The criteria and assessment process have been developed with the full participation of the initial group of applicants. The RSPH decides to make an Award on the basis of a qualitative person-to-person assessment by peers (including a panel challenge), rather than a remote consideration of standards: this is not a form of inspection or performance management. For those who are not yet ready for the full Award, a â€œhighly commendedâ€� category is offered to acknowledge progress, with the opportunity to submit more evidence for a full Award in due course. The RSPH's Health Promotion Awards have a powerful pedigree in the World Health Organization's programmes for Healthy Cities, Health-Promoting Hospitals and Health-Promoting Universities,4 inspired by the focus on â€œsettingsâ€� in the Ottawa Charter, that all settings of social life and activity should provide greater opportunities for promoting health. The fundamental emphasis of the RSPH Awards is on the organization having strong processes for developing and implementing strategies and plans, funding services and supporting the health-promotion workforce. This focus on whole- organization policies is different from, for example, the Health and Social Care Awards from the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement (in partnership with the Department of Health), which recognize innovation and excellence in front-line services. Organizations and partnerships submit a portfolio of documentary evidence, together with a detailed commentary, to enable assessment against criteria that include: 1. Top-level leadership for health promotion 2. Developing and implementing strategies based on the principles in the Ottawa Charter 3. Having strategies that are clearly resourced 4. Engaging the public in the develop- ment of plans 5. Strong programme and project management arrangements 6. Implementing health-promotion strategies over a sustained period of time 7. Monitoring and evaluation of outputs and outcomes of programmes 8. Working in partnership with other organizations, communities and groups 9. Staff responsible for health promo- tion having relevant qualifications, experience and arrangements for learning and development 10. The organization providing a health- promoting workplace for staff SHOWCASING BEST PRACTICE One of the aims of the Health Promotion Awards is to publicize and share good practice, and to enable organizations to learn from each other. The five initial applicants who have developed the Awards with the RSPH have all submitted excellent evidence. Five examples follow, linked to some of the criteria. Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network Sefton Primary Care Trust, Borough Council and Council for Voluntary Services applied for a Partnership Award. Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network demonstrates the high 44 level of joint working achieved, as well as a strong commitment to the â€œsettings approachâ€�, a key concept for health promotion (Award criteria 2 and 8). Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network was established in the light of the Health-Promoting Hospitals programme from the World Health Organization. The network provides a forum for public-sector organizations across the borough and helps to achieve healthier environments and improve quality of service by sharing best practice. It now engages six local NHS hospitals, Sefton Primary Care Trust (PCT), Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, Sefton Council for Voluntary Services (CVS), a newly established prison, the fire service and a community cinema. All network members have shown great commitment to integrating the concepts of health promotion into their organizational structure and culture and have strongly endorsed the approach at board level. The network has been acknowledged as an excellent source of learning and mutual support to improve the delivery of health promotion. Progress is regularly shared with a wide range of other networks nationally and internationally. A Strategy for Healthier Organizations, Better health, better staff, better services, produced in Sefton was the first formal document in the north west to highlight the importance of becoming a healthier organization for settings other than hospitals. Sefton PCT, Sefton CVS and Sefton Council endorsed the strategy and committed to embedding health promotion into the everyday work of organizations within the local strategic partnership (LSP). Collaboration among these organizations in addressing health determinants has been set out in four key areas of work: â—† Promotion and support of healthy living during day-to-day contact with the public â—† Contribution to the corporate social responsibility agenda, as major employers, providers and procurers of services â—† Empowerment of staff â—† Empowerment of communities The increasing focus on health outcomes reconfirms the priority of investment in the determinants of health through organizational health promotion. The next stage of development of the Health- Promoting Settings Network will be to reach out to small to medium-sized businesses in Sefton. North East Essex Youth Health Trainers North East Essex Primary Care Trust's evidence was particularly strong on health promotion for young people (Award criterion 2). As well as a wide range of initiatives under the banner of Healthy Schools, they have developed a Youth Health Trainer scheme. The PCT-led Youth Health Trainer scheme was developed in collaboration with schools, school nurses and other agencies, including Essex Young People Drug and Alcohol Service, Teen Talk, Open Road and the police. The health trainers (all from Year 11) are a primary source of information for young people, providing advice on health and lifestyle matters, and they act as informed signposters to key services. The health trainers also facilitate a variety of health- promotion events within the school and give valuable feedback on how current services are provided and on changes that can be made to improve accessibility. They are predominantly based in a school setting, but have developed strong links within the local community and assist local young people in taking steps to improve their own health. Each youth health trainer has attended a three-day tailored programme on key areas of health improvement, including Level 1 (brief and opportunistic intervention) smoking cessation, drugs and alcohol, nutrition and eating disorders, emotional health and well- being, personal safety, health-promotion techniques, physical activity and sexual health. They hold an up-to-date directory of local services and contact details of relevant services to signpost and refer their peers to, with appropriate referral criteria. The project is overseen by a part-time PCT-employed coordinator who is responsible for the recruitment of the health trainers, their ongoing training and support, promotion and evaluation of the scheme. The health trainers act as advocates for positive health behaviour and are often more trusted than non-peer informants, particularly with marginalized young people. They can build trust between young people and the services they are promoting. They have created opportunities to develop innovative methods of health-promotion delivery. The programme encourages young people to take an interest in and ownership of their own health. Health Equity Audits in NHS Rotherham Rotherham PCT and Council have a strategic framework, â€œRotherham Achieving, Learning, Alive, Safe and Proudâ€�, which resonates through the PCT's impressive range of evidence on tackling the wider determinants of health and health inequalities. Their Health Equity Audit programme is a major tool in their armoury (Award criteria 3, 5, 7). Health Equity Audit (HEA) is a tool used to identify and address inequalities, focusing on how fairly resources are distributed in relation to the health needs of different groups. HEA enables statutory agencies and the LSP to systematically review inequities in ill- health or in access to effective services. HEA is used in practice in Rotherham in the following ways: â—† To develop a common understanding of local health inequalities and ensure that resources are allocated appropriately â—† To inform commissioning to make services more accessible and appropriate â—† To provide evidence to show whether local health needs are being met â—† To provide a common framework for audits to be undertaken to examine the effect of services on health inequalities â—† To encourage community involvement by providing information on inequities 45 in services that allows groups to lobby for improved resource allocation HEA is most effective where there is a perception of inequity in access, quality or outcomes of particular services or for a particular group. Critically, there needs to be sufficient data available to quantify any inequity, opportunities for change, support from key partners to drive any necessary changes, and organizational commitment to make changes and review progress. Rotherham PCT secured Neighbourhood Renewal Funding to employ a dedicated full-time HEA development post. The aim of the post, which has now been mainstreamed, and the HEA programme was to carry out key HEAs and begin to embed some of the principles of equity into PCT and LSP planning processes. For example, a coronary heart disease (CHD) HEA was recently undertaken that showed inequity in service provision between GP practices. Each individual practice was visited and actions agreed to improve services, leading to more equitable provision and a demonstrable narrowing of the gap in CHD mortality between the 25% most deprived areas/practices and Rotherham as a whole. Public engagement in North Lancashire NHS North Lancashire's evidence was good on public engagement (Award criterion 4) including their Affiliate Scheme. The North Lancashire Teaching PCT (NLTPCT) Affiliate Scheme is a mechanism for engaging and involving local people and communities to share views, gauge opinion and introduce the organization to the resident population. The scheme, the first of its kind in a PCT setting, fully embraces the ethos of public involvement. It informs and enables the local population to have a direct impact on the PCT's strategies. The Affiliate Scheme is not intended to be a replacement for the organization's statutory duties, but serves to enhance these obligations. Affiliate members include PCT staff, patients, their carers and the general public. Anyone working or living within the geographical area is eligible to join. The scheme provides a system of flexible, tiered membership with a choice of level of engagement. Members are logged onto a database, identifying areas of specific interest and preferred level of involvement. Affiliates can opt to receive email or hard-copy newsletters relating to activities and developments or to take part in online polls and questionnaires. They can get involved by attending focus or working groups related to specific areas and/or interests or by joining PCT and partnership organization committees, for example, on equality and human rights or strategic planning. An affiliate chairman has been appointed from the membership for an initial period of two years. He will be supported by the appointment of three locality leads from the PCT boroughs who will support the development of a work plan and activity programme. The scheme is providing significant opportunities to raise the profile of NLTPCT both locally and nationally and has been commended by the North West Strategic Health Authority. The PCT has been approached by neighbouring organizations to introduce similar schemes. Health at Work in Plymouth NHS Plymouth's submission featured a strong suite of evidence for Award criterion 10, developing health-promoting workplaces. Plymouth Teaching PCT believes that it can play a valuable part in influencing employees' health and well-being and that a healthy workplace is a fundamental right. The PCT was the first in the south west to be awarded the Department of Health's Improving Working Lives Practice Plus Standard in September 2005. The PCT's Supporting Working Lives and Well-Being Strategy Group, of managers and staff who are â€œchampionsâ€� of health and well-being, have been working to integrate well- being practices into corporate strategy jointly with trade union partners and in collaboration with the Public Health Development Unit. The NHS Annual Staff Survey provides valuable insight into how staff are feeling and what can be done to improve the working environment. One of the outcomes of the findings was the commissioning of Exeter University to carry out a PCT-wide Stress Survey, the results of which have led to a range of developments: â—† The development of an Employee Assistance Programme â—† The appointment of a Family Care Coordinator â—† The development of quiet rooms â—† Better provision of occupational health services â—† The provision of a personalized annual leave scheme, which allows staff to request to â€œpurchaseâ€� up to two weeks additional annual leave per year â—† Signing up as a Mindful Employer Charter organization to better understand and support staff with mental illness â—† A new systematic approach to making and reviewing reasonable adjustments under the Disability Discrimination Act at 12-monthly intervals â—† A Harassment and Bullying Advisor Team â€“ staff specialists trained to support colleagues who might feel they are victims of bullying â—† A Bikes for Work scheme â—† Better sickness-management strategies â—† A new Core Management Training and Development programme The PCT is now undertaking the Health at Work Award assessment, a Business Health Network initiative that sits within the Public Health Development Unit to help focus on smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy eating and stress. NHS Plymouth believes that a healthy workplace requires employee engagement and the integration of a wide range of health issues throughout the organization. 46 CONCLUSION Even in the developmental phase, the RSPH's Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards have shown clearly how exemplar organizations that take health promotion seriously are successful in improving health. Health promotion specialists design and commission, manage and deliver public health programmes with an effective mix of interventions, in the right places, at the right times, responding to real-life complexity and the need for action at all levels from policy to individuals in communities. They are resolutely focused on reducing inequalities in health and bringing to bear evidence to achieve change, as in Rotherham PCT's HEA programme. They are good at building capacity for health, through training and supporting the wider public health workforce, for example the Youth Health Trainer scheme in North East Essex. Health-promotion specialists help organizations to develop their health- promoting potential. Successful â€œsettings-basedâ€� health-promotion programmes use a range of interventions in settings such as hospitals, schools and workplaces, as in the Sefton Health-Promoting Settings Network. Perhaps most importantly, health promotion is based on empowerment, which is proven to be an effective tool for health improvement, using processes that enable, advocate and mediate, to help people gain greater control over their lives. This is shown effectively in NHS North Lancashire's Affiliates Scheme and NHS Plymouth's programme for Health at Work. If you are interested in applying for an Award, please contact the RSPH. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The RSPH is grateful to the five initial applicants for their commitment to the Awards scheme, their contribution to the development of the criteria, and the time they have given to the peer review process. References Department of Health and Welsh Assembly Government. Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS. London: Department of Health, 2005 International Union for Health Promotion and Education & Canadian Consortium for Health Promotion Research. Shaping the Future of Health Promotion: Priorities for Action. Saint-Denis Cedex: International Union for Health Promotion and Education, 2007. www.iuhpe.org World Health Organization. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. Ottawa: World Health Organization, 1986. www.who.int/ hpr/NPH/docs/ottawa_charter_hp.pdf Tsouros AD, Dowding G, Thompson J, Dooris M (eds). Health-Promoting Universities: Concept, Experience and Framework for Action. Copenhagen : World Health Organization, 1998 . www.yskyeung.com/public/tmp/ hkccm_asm/e60163.pdf Department of Health and Welsh Assembly Government. Shaping the Future of Public Health: Promoting Health in the NHS . London : Department of Health , 2005 International Union for Health Promotion and Education & Canadian Consortium for Health Promotion Research. Shaping the Future of Health Promotion: Priorities for Action . Saint-Denis Cedex : International Union for Health Promotion and Education , 2007 . www.iuhpe.org World Health Organization. The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion . Ottawa : World Health Organization , 1986 . www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/ottawa_charter_hp.pdf Tsouros AD , Dowding G , Thompson J , Dooris M (eds). Health-Promoting Universities: Concept, Experience and Framework for Action . Copenhagen : World Health Organization , 1998 . www.yskyeung.com/public/tmp/hkccm_asm/e60163.pdf

PY - 2009/1

Y1 - 2009/1

N2 - The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of â€œvision, voice and practiceâ€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the â€œsettingsâ€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth.

AB - The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has launched the Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards, in collaboration with the Faculty of Public Health, the UK Public Health Register and the Institute of Health Promotion and Education. The Awards demonstrate the new Society's mission of â€œvision, voice and practiceâ€�, and will raise the profile of health promotion in the UK and recognize good practice through public and professional acknowledgement. They are linked to a wider programme of advocacy and workforce development led by the RSPH through the Shaping the Future collaboration (see http://www.specialisedhealthpromotion.org.uk). The Awards have a powerful pedigree in the â€œsettingsâ€� approach of the World Health Organization, and focus on the strong processes that organizations and partnerships need to develop and implement strategies. The Awards have been developed in partnership with four initial applicants from primary care trusts, and one partnership applicant spanning a primary care trust, local authority and Council for Voluntary Services. Assessment of applications is through peer review and a panel challenge. Examples of evidence from the five initial applicants, and how they relate to the criteria for the Awards, are showcased in this article. They are: Sefton's Health-Promoting Settings Network; the North East Essex Youth Health Trainers scheme; Health Equity Audits in Rotherham; public engagement in North Lancashire; and Health at Work in Plymouth.

KW - awards

KW - health promotion

KW - settings

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=65249170812&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1177/1757913908098882

DO - 10.1177/1757913908098882

M3 - Article

C2 - 19338135

AN - SCOPUS:65249170812

SN - 1757-9139

VL - 129

SP - 42

EP - 46

JO - Perspectives in Public Health

JF - Perspectives in Public Health

IS - 1

ER -

The RSPH Health Promotion and Community Well-Being Organization and Partnership Awards

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