Living Well Hub in Warrington celebrates 5,000th visitor

It’s a major milestone for the multi-million pound health and wellbeing facility, which is unique to the high street and believed to be the first of its kind in the country.

The concept for the hub first came to fruition four years ago as part of a shared vision by organisations across Warrington to tackle health inequalities – where there is a 10-year difference in life expectancy between the most and least deprived members of the community – and support the regeneration of the town centre.

The welcoming and accessible Town Deal-funded building is now home to more than 30 healthcare providers, voluntary and charitable organisations and wellbeing services, led by a joint partnership between Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (WHH), Warrington Borough Council, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust.

Designed to connect residents to the best possible advice, support and guidance to meet their individual health and wellbeing needs, there’s a packed schedule of programmes and more on the way, with August proving to be the busiest month yet.

And with the new government’s Health Secretary Wes Streeting committing to three main priorities for the NHS, focusing on moving care from hospitals into the community, and from treatment to the prevention of ill health (the third aspect being a shift from analogue to digital), it’s clear that the Living Well Hub is leading the way.

Hub general manager Emma Whaley is rightly proud of what has been achieved so far.

“It has been an incredibly rewarding first six months for the team here,” she said. “As the project is unique and unlike any other model that we’re aware of elsewhere, we weren’t sure what would and wouldn’t work at first. So it has been a case of learning and testing out new things along the way, as all the different services have started to work together and get to know each other more.

“A flood eight weeks after opening was the first big challenge we had to overcome, however by working closely with the appropriate teams we were able to get the building operational within two days to minimise any impact on the delivery of services.

“Since then we have worked hard to make the building as warm and welcoming as possible for those who visit us, and watching it come to life, especially during our children and families focus days, has been wonderful. The feedback so far has been extremely encouraging.

“Having the opportunity to connect with lots of amazing people from a range of services means that if you are a Warrington resident and require support with your health and wellbeing needs, there will be someone at the hub who will be able to advise you.

“It’s important for us to have a range of services available that people can access in one place. For example, someone could come in for a standard maternity appointment, but at the same time they could see a health visitor if they had another child who was of an age that needed that support. They could also then spend time with their children in our play and stay or messy play sessions with other parents and little ones.

“Seeing the reactions on people’s faces when they access the support they need is very humbling and we know it is making a real difference. We recently received a letter from a gentleman thanking the hub team and organisations who supported him to resolve his issues and get back on his feet. He said that if the Living Well Hub had not been there neither would he as he was feeling suicidal and had turned to the team here in desperation.”

One service recently introduced at the hub has been blood testing (phlebotomy), which has been so well received that the team are now exploring the possibility of expanding the provision to create additional capacity for more than 250 tests during the week.

New additions to the timetable in recent months have also included Directions for Men mental health support, Bumps to Babies sessions for new parents, an infant feeding group, perinatal support group, diabetes clinic, carers’ craft session, and employment support.

Stop smoking and weight management services provided by Livewire continue to be popular, while there’s also a wide range of support and guidance available from several charity and voluntary sector organisations, including Macmillan, Warrington Disability Partnership and Home Start Warrington.

Ellie Harrison, CEO of Home Start, which has been delivering services for families with young children in the town for more than 25 years, said: “Families come to us for a number of reasons, quite often they feel isolated in the community, or they may not feel they have that family support network. More recently we’ve seen an increase in mental health issues off the back of Covid and cost of living rises, so our volunteers will listen to them and support them where they can, and try to get them out and about in the community.

“When we heard the Living Well Hub was opening and offering services from partners that we already work with but that we could be physically next to, we wanted to take that opportunity to enhance the support we already provide.

“Being under one roof really breaks down barriers, and these days with so many virtual meetings taking place it’s good to be able to put faces to names and have that face to face interaction with colleagues, as you learn so much more about other services that way.

“That has a real benefit for our families. We can signpost people to other voluntary sector organisations that are already here and speak to them in person, rather than having to fill out lots of forms. When you’re at your lowest point and need help, only to be told we’ve got to make a referral to this service or that one, you can feel lost. But having everything in the same place is a real advantage. It also gives parents and their children the opportunity to meet others in the same situation.”

With so much going on at the hub each week, including pre-bookable appointments and drop-in services, staff are keen to encourage more residents to call in and find out what support could be most beneficial to them and their families.

They are also consulting with visitors, staff and volunteers to help understand what other services that they want to see in the hub.

The three-storey hub, which has a number of clinical and non-clinical spaces as well as a welcoming café area, is situated on Horsemarket Street close to the bus station, and is open from 9am to 5pm weekdays, and until 8pm on Mondays and Wednesdays.

To keep up to date with latest services on offer, visit warrington.gov.uk/living-well-hub and follow the hub’s new Facebook page when it launches later this month.

Staying health into older age

Tackling inequalities is not the only priority for health chiefs as Warrington also has a significant ageing population, with the number of people over the age of 65 in the town expected to double over the next 20 years.

Lucy Gardner is the Chief Strategic and Partnerships Officer at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals and played a key role in working with the council and partners as part of the national Town Deal programme to secure vital funding for the Living Well Hub, as well as overseeing its development and continued progress.

She said: “It’s really important that we provide easy access to the services people in this area of town need to help improve their health outcomes, including helping them to stay healthy as they start to move into older age.

“One of the things that we see in the hospital is that we have a high proportion of people who access our services because they have fallen over, so we really want to be able to help them before they get to the stage where they’re starting to fall, to help them stay stable, stay fit, and feel well. Providing support for care givers is also crucial.

(Image: Caroline Lane, Steve Bennett and Lucy Gardner from Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foun)

“The other group we know really need our help is women and young children, and their families, both in terms of health services – particularly around maternity provision – and also providing wellbeing help and guidance.

“What is brilliant about the number of people who have come through the doors so far is the fact that more than 50 per cent have just dropped in and not had an appointment, and that’s something that was really missing from the town before.

“We also know that at least 25 per cent of people who visit the hub access a second service which wasn’t the one they had been originally intending to access, so that’s been really encouraging to know that people are getting the correct help, even when they might not have known it was available to them prior to coming here.”

Although the ‘health on the high street’ concept may still be in its infancy, it is likely to play an increasingly important role in the NHS going forward as hospital and GP services – and budgets – continue to be stretched.

It also has wider benefits, helping to bring people into the town centre, supporting town centre regeneration and access to employment, thereby contributing towards the local economy.

“It’s well documented locally and nationally that there are real challenges in terms of waiting times for emergency departments (A&E) and access to GP appointments,” said Lucy. “The hope is that once we really start to see the benefits embed from the hub that it will help prevent people from needing to go to hospital or see a GP as they can access more suitable support here.

“We would like to be able to offer more health on the high street services, which are part of our new hospital plans. We hope to be able to rebuild our existing hospital in a phased manner, whilst moving those things that can and should be into the community into the community.

“There does need to be a shift in funding towards prevention of ill health, but that’s difficult to do until the prevention services start to have a real impact. We’re positive however that this is the right direction to make strides in for the benefit of Warrington residents.”

Help at hand for mums

Supporting families and children is a priority for teams at the Living Well Hub, with a particular focus on Wednesdays and Fridays when antenatal and postnatal clinics are held there in addition to a range of drop-in sessions.

Jonathan Cliffe, Maternity Team Leader at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals, said: “I think the pregnancy journey for those who come here is absolutely enhanced by having multiple teams in one location.

“It makes the service they receive more personal and makes that handover of care much more seamless and straightforward, which has got to be beneficial for the families of those we are supporting.”

Stay and play and messy play are among the most popular drop-ins on the weekly timetable for parents and young children. Michaela Duckworth, who lives close to the town centre and has a three-year-old son Bailey and seven-month-old daughter Amelia, is a regular visitor.

She said: “I first heard about the Living Well Hub on Facebook and now I bring my children every week for stay and play sessions. I also come every month to get my little girl weighed, just to make sure she’s making progress.

(Image: Michaela Duckworth with seven-month-old daughter Amelia)

“It’s amazing here, the staff can’t do enough for you and are always willing to help if your baby is unsettled and you need some support. It’s a friendly place and it gives me the opportunity to get out of the house for a bit and interact with other parents.

“I would one hundred per cent recommend it to other mums and dads.”

Michaela’s sister Charlotte Brooke, from Fairfield, has also started bringing six-month-old Mya-Mae Green to the hub.

(Image: Charlotte Brooke, from Fairfield, with six-month-old Mya-Mae Green, and Carly Hennessey from Stockto)

“Opening the hub here has been a godsend to me and my family,” she said. “You can come here to get your baby weighed and get answers to anything you’ve got concerns about. The services they put on here are also brilliant and give you the opportunity to meet other mums.

“The staff are fantastic, really welcoming, and they’re always there to support and guide you in the right direction. It’s not just their workplace, it’s like a family here and you feel very connected. It has been a real life saver.”

It's a team effort

The Living Well Hub would not have been possible without a team effort from partner organisations across the town.

It is part of the borough-wide Living Well programme, which aims to connect people, communities and services to enable residents to live healthy, fulfilling lives and take greater control over their own health, wellbeing and resilience.

Cllr Maureen McLaughlin is cabinet member for health, wellbeing and social care at Warrington Borough Council. She is passionate about the change the Living Well Hub has brought to communities in Warrington. She said: “The Living Well Hub has enabled us to adopt a bold, new approach in Warrington and I am convinced other places should look at how this partnership model is helping to support people’s general health and wellbeing. The range of support and advice on offer is fantastic, and having all of this support wrapped up in one place puts our residents at the heart of the services being delivered.

“Not only that, but with the Living Well Hub being based in the town centre, it is in a really convenient location that welcomes both booked appointments and equally importantly, drop-ins.

“The hub being based where it is makes it more accessible for residents and communities who live in our inner wards. We know these residents may be faced with health inequalities compared to other parts of the borough, so having the Living Well Hub effectively on their doorstep is a game-changer.

(Image: Inside the hub)

“The hub offers support for all ages and all experiences. Five thousand visits is incredibly encouraging, but we’re not stopping there. We know there are more people that would benefit from advice and support at the hub. We will keep working together to make sure even more people benefit from what the hub has to offer.”

Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, one of the four main partners of the Living Well Hub, runs several community services from the building including providing advice and support around children's oral health and infant feeding.

Lynne Carter, Acting Chief Executive, said: “We’re really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve as part of the Living Well Hub partnership.

“It’s incredibly important to us that we work together with our partners to help prevent ill health in our communities and promote wellbeing to our patients.

“The Living Well Hub is such a successful example of this – we know that many of our patients and their families may need support from a number of different services. “Because we’re able to collaborate with so many other organisations on site, our patients are able to quickly access the healthcare they need, when and where they need it. It’s perfect joint working, with our patients at the heart of what we do.”

What is on at the hub in October

Monday’s focus: Healthy lifestyles and women’s health

• Department for Work and Pensions, work, training and benefits support: 9am to 12pm
• Directions for Men, mental health peer support: 9am to 12.30pm
• Domestic abuse, confidential support for victims: 1pm to 3.30pm
• Livewire healthy lifestyles, health checks and fitness advice: 9am to 12.30pm
• Livewire stop smoking support: 9am to 1pm
• Livewire weight management, support for those with a BMI over 30: 9.30am to 11.30am and 2pm to 6pm
• Macmillan Cancer support and information: 10am to 4pm
• Talking Therapies, mental health services information (2nd and 4th Monday of the month): 11.45am to 12.15pm
• Substance misuse, support for reducing alcohol and drug use: 9am to 12.30pm
• Talking Point connecting you to local community services: 1pm to 4pm
• Torus Foundation, support for Torus housing residents: 9am to 12.30pm
• Strong Girls Club, supporting women through miscarriage, stillbirth and the fertility journey. Self-refer via: stronggirlsclunnorthwest@gmail.com: 6.30pm to 8pm, 28 October

Tuesday’s focus: Aging well and dementia

• Age UK Mid Mersey, helping people 50-plus to live as well and independently as possible: 1.30pm to 4pm
• Dementia and delirium support, provided by dementia nurse specialists from Warrington Hospital: 1pm to 3pm
• Dementia – still me support for those affected by dementia: 1.30pm to 3pm and Dementia – still me group, games and chat: 2pm to 3pm (1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month)
• Department for work and pensions, support for anyone over 50: 9am to 12.30pm
• Drive ability, safe driving support for medical conditions (1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month): 9am to 12.30pm
• Later life memory advice, memory loss support by Mersey Care: 1pm to 5pm
• Livewire healthy lifestyles, active aging and dementia-friendly exercise: 9.30am to 12pm
• Warrington Carers Hub, one-to-one support for unpaid carers: 9am to 16.30pm
• Warrington Carers Hub drop in, chat with other unpaid carers (2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month): 1.30pm to 14:30pm
• Warrington Voluntary Action – good neighbours, dementia support: 1pm to 5pm (1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month)

Wednesday’s focus: Families and children

• Department for Work and Pensions, work, training and benefits support: 9am to 12.30pm
• Early help link worker, support for family needs: 9am to 12.30pm or 1pm to 4.30pm
• Early Years Childcare Team, free childcare funding advice: 9am to 12pm
• Home Start, support for parents with children 0-5 years: 9am to 12.30pm
• Health visitor baby weighing, wellbeing and weight checks by Warrington Hospital: 9.30am to 11.30am
• Livewire library service, library information and activities (4th Wednesday of the month, next session 30 October): 1pm to 4pm
• Maternity Action, legal advice on work and benefits for pregnant women and new parents: 9am to 12pm
• Talking Therapies, mental health services advice for ages 16-plus: 12pm to 12.30pm
• Oral health for children, support from Bridgewater NHS FT (3rd Wednesday of the month, next session 16 October): 10am to 12pm
• Parenting and positive relationships, support for co-parents experiencing conflict: 9.30am to 12pm
• Stay and play, sing, play and have fun with your child: 10am to 11:30am
• Warrington Voluntary Action, help to reduce loneliness and connect people (1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month): 9am to 12.30pm
• Your Housing, tenant support: 1pm to 4.30pm, 9 October

Thursday’s focus: Aging well and falls

• Warrington Disability Partnership, support for disabled and those living with long-term conditions: 9am to 12.30pm
• Macmillan Cancer, support and information for those affected by cancer: 9am to 12.30pm
• Livewire healthy lifestyles, health checks and fitness advice; falls group: 10am to 12pm
• Parkinson's drop in, support for anyone affected by Parkinson's, 9am to 12.30pm
• Warrington Voluntary Action, help to reduce loneliness and connect people (2nd and 4th Thursday of the month): 9am to 12.30pm
• Talking Point, World Mental Health Day, 9am to 12.30pm 10 October

Friday’s focus: Families and children

• Department for work and pensions, work and training support for youths: 9am to 12.30pm
• Early help link worker, support for professionals referring families on to support services (last Friday of the month): 9.30am to 12pm
• Health visitor baby weighing, wellbeing and weight checks by Warrington Hospital: 9.30am to 11.30am
• Home Start, support for parents with children aged 0 to five years, 9am to 12.30pm
• Infant feeding support group, support from Bridgewater NHS Foundation Trust: 10am to 12pm
• Maternity clinic, flexible maternity support by Warrington Hospital: 1.30pm to 4pm
• Stay and play, sing, play and have fun with your child: 10am to 11:30am
• Talking Therapies, support services and advice for ages 16-plus: 9.15am to 9.45am
• Talking Point, connecting you to community services for the best outcomes: 9am to 12.30pm