www.wiltshire.gov.uk
Healthier Wiltshire
Working in partnership with 
Wiltshire is aiming to become the healthiest county in England by 2014.
This objective has been championed across the County by the Wiltshire Strategic Board (WiSB) which represents all the public sector organisations – local authorities, health services, police, fire brigade; as well as local businesses, voluntary and church groups and others.
The Healthier Wiltshire Steering Group, which oversees the work, is a multi-agency partnership reporting to WiSB.
The project aims to improve health and wellbeing by offering more opportunities for people to:
- Give up smoking and reduce the effects of smoke on others
- Reduce excessive drinking of alcohol and thereby reduce the consequent harm
- Increase the amount of exercise and physical activity taken
- Eat more healthily
Two major routes are being followed to engage with the people of Wiltshire:
- The first is via employers (often referred to as “Leading by Example”). The organisations represented directly on the Strategic Board and those engaged via the partnerships will allow access to over a third of the working population in Wiltshire. Not only is this a significant cross-section of the adult working population but it will allow those organisations to become exemplar employers in the field of healthy working environments and provide role models for other employers and the community at large.
- The second route is through community engagement – community groups are well established in Wiltshire and are already having an impact on plans for their local areas. Schools and other educational establishments are also encouraged to develop appropriate environments and opportunities for the students and staff. Those groups that traditionally have been “harder to reach” will be given the chance to improve their health through specific targeted approaches.
The early stages of the project in 2005 concentrated on the proposed actions over the first three years (to 2008) as part of the Local Public Service Agreement (LPSA). A signed agreement was produced reflecting the targets agreed for improving the health and wellbeing of two specific population groups namely school children and public sector employees. Two surveys which provided information on lifestyles are a key feature in the LPSA and will allow progress to be monitored though a repeat exercise in 2008. View the results page.
During 2006/7 the Local Area Agreement (LAA) was developed with one of the themes being Healthy Communities. This has now been agreed and signed with Central Government and has built on (and includes) the work of the LPSA. Additional attention has been paid to the need to reduce health inequalities in and between populations in Wiltshire. View the LAA Healthy Communities section. (pdf 1906Kb) 
Sub groups have been established to support the work of the Healthier Wiltshire Steering Group for each of the lifestyle areas – their key activities and terms of reference are included.
Contact Details
By Post
Project Manager
Healthier Wiltshire
Room 241B
2nd Floor, County Hall
Bythesea Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8LE
By Email
By Telephone
01225 757520
Opening Hours
Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm
