Two Public Health Initiatives selected as finalists in the 2024 Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards

These two projects, selected from a pool of over 900 entries spanning 22 categories, demonstrate great teamwork in addressing health inequalities in our community while delivering results.

One of the standout submissions focuses on empowering expectant mothers to break free from the grip of smoking addiction, while the other aims to bridge the gap in healthcare accessibility for people who are d/Deaf.  

The d/Deaf working group partnership was formed following the recognition of inequalities in accessing a variety of services and in health care outcomes for our local d/Deaf population. 

The word ‘deaf’ with a lower case ‘d’ is often used to describe a person who does not hear very much, or identifies as hard of hearing. A capital ‘D’ for Deaf generally describes someone who has been Deaf their whole lives, and who often uses British Sign Language (BSL) as their first or primary language. Identifying as Deaf is to be part of the close knit community, culture and shared language used and is an important differentiation.
 

The partnership, which includes Worcestershire County Council, Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Healthwatch Worcestershire and Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care Board, worked together to share expertise, knowledge and findings as well as track outcomes.  

Previous focus groups and engagement sessions led by partners and a Worcestershire County Council-led group of ‘experts by experience’ informs the partnership and has led to a communications drive to help d/Deaf people find statutory providers across the county and understand where British Sign Language (BSL) provision is available and where to seek support. 

The Smoking in Pregnancy submission celebrates the work to slash smoking in pregnancy rates to 9 per cent.  This is the lowest-ever level, with 2023 seeing the largest year-on-year reduction in the county for 7 years. 

They've teamed up with maternity colleagues and other key players to tackle this challenge head-on. By using the best evidence available, they have been able to make a real difference to expectant mothers and their families; ramping up efforts to identify smokers, providing specialized training for the workforce, rolling out a fresh postnatal support program, and revamping services from antenatal to postnatal care. 

Together, they're making strides towards healthier outcomes for mothers and babies in Worcestershire.

Councillor Karen May, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said: “The Public Health team works tirelessly to identify new initiatives to tackle inequalities and to find new ways to keep people in Worcestershire healthy. These accolades stand as a testament to their unwavering commitment and excellent partnership working.” 

Lisa McNally, Director of Public Health in Worcestershire added, “I am immensely proud of my team's well-deserved recognition, particularly against such stiff competition.”

Sarah Shingler, Chief Nursing Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “We are delighted that these worthy projects have been shortlisted for awards. We are committed to working with health, social care and third sector partners across the county to improve health outcomes for the wider population and are thrilled that these two initiatives which have enabled us to share ideas, approaches and resources in new ways have been recognised. We’re looking forward to continuing to build on the good work.” 

As the anticipation builds, shortlisted organizations gear up to showcase their initiatives through compelling presentations and engaging interviews before a judging panel comprising prominent figures within local government.

The stage is set for an unforgettable celebration of excellence on June 12 at Grosvenor House, London, where winners will be unveiled amidst a gathering of esteemed colleagues and partners from across the local government landscape.