On Tuesday 6 March, in recognition of the vision of local Sevenoaks Conservative Councillors, Sevenoaks District Council won the Gold IESE award for transformation in Health and Social Care. This is an amazing achievement for a small district council, where only a few years ago it was told that such council's "did not do health".
The award was won for the holistic approach to improving the health and well-being of residents through a complete policy review to make sure all services worked together to promote health and well-being and through direct action.
Every day the Super HERO officers are tackling debt that blights the lives of so many people causing anxiety and other health issues. They are now skilled to understand health and how it interacts with debt and worklessness.
The "One You advisors" are tackling the non-medical reasons why people visit their GP - even if the symptoms are medical: asthma caused by damp housing, loneliness, falls prevention etc.
The Rapid Hospital Discharge scheme is adapting people's homes while they are in hospital so they can be discharged as soon as clinically ready. This not only takes pressure off the NHS and Social Care but helps ensure people return to independent living as older people can lose up to 5% of muscle mass every day they stay in hospital.
This is a package of caring, practical measures that are making a difference to lives every day. These are achievements that us local Conservatives can be proud of. This award could not have been won without the fantastic team of staff at SDC and the drive and vision of portfolio holder Cllr Michelle Lowe (pictured here centre with the award)