Case Study

Category: Partnerships

Title: Involving Health in the Affordable Warmth Agenda - Bolton

Overview

Improving the health and prosperity of everyone in Bolton is a key priority of the Bolton Vision partnership – its Local Strategic Partnership.

The primary objective of the community strategy (Bolton: Our Vision 2007-2017) is to make Bolton a place where everyone has an improved quality of life and the confidence to achieve their ambitions. The two aims that will enable Vision to achieve this are to narrow the gap between the most and least well off – in all aspects of their lives – and to ensure economic prosperity.

With those aims in mind, the Affordable Warmth Steering Group continues to work to reduce fuel poverty which is viewed as a major contributor to health inequalities. Since the launch of the Affordable Warmth Strategy (in 2005) partnerships have strengthened, in particular with the Primary Care Trust who recognise fuel poverty as a key issue for the health sector.

The referral mechanism AWARM (see full case study link below for further information on AWARM) is an essential part of the Affordable Warmth Programme and is supported by the Affordable Warmth partnership to identify and assist vulnerable people living in fuel poverty.

• Fuel poverty and affordable warmth were raised as a priority in a range of strategies at a local level, in particular the Health Inequalities Strategy.
• Bolton PCT’s Public Health team were involved in developing the Affordable Warmth Strategy
• The Health and Wellbeing Partnership (part of the Local Strategic Partnership) took ownership of the Affordable Warmth Strategy and oversee the delivery.
• Bolton’s Community Strategy 3 Year Plan which incorporates the new LAA focuses on higher level targets e.g. health inequalities/life expectancy. Nonetheless, fuel poverty is sighted as one of the key issues in tackling health inequalities (as confirmed by the National Support Team for Health Inequalities).
• Health professionals of all disciplines are trained in identifying fuel poverty e.g. Health Trainers, GP’s, District Nurses, Midwives etc.
• GPs can prescribe referrals to energy efficiency advice and additional grants through ‘Social Prescribing’. 
• Affordable warmth referrals have been integrated into care pathways for long term health conditions (particularly respiratory/circulatory disease and mental health issues)
• Affordable warmth referrals have been included in the Single Assessment Process.

Funding

A key element in driving the Affordable Warmth Strategy was setting up a co-ordinator post which was initially funded through Neighbourhood Renewal Funding and is now being mainstreamed within the Council. The Neighbourhood Renewal Funding was successfully acquired as a result of the inclusion of a target to reduce excess winter deaths within Bolton’s first LAA. The co-ordinator identifies links and works with partners to meet common goals. Projects were set up and delivered with limited additional funds and by bending mainstream funding to lever in appropriate funding such as EEC/CERT. Funding for the pilot project for AWARM (the referral initiative) and the additional grants for health clients also came out of the Neighbourhood Renewal Funding initially. As a result of the success of this pilot, private sector renewal funding has been ring-fenced to continue running this project. Bolton is now looking to share this good practice and expand the project across Greater Manchester in conjunction with the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre Steering Group for Greater Manchester North.

Lessons learned

• Engage Public Health - demonstrate how affordable warmth work will to help meet health priorities and targets - including life expectancy, health inequalities, hospital admissions etc.
• It is critical to gain high level support and have champions in different organisations.
• Be persistent - build and strengthen partnerships. It takes time and is an ongoing process.
• A co-ordinator is essential to maintain momentum.