A new website that aims to get more residents feeling happier and healthier goes live across the borough on Tuesday, 8 November.
The JustBe Croydon online health programme at www.JustBeCroydon.org focuses on six key health and well-being concerns to tackle and improve local inequalities that exist in these areas.
This is the first website of its kind for Croydon and across all local authorities, to be a go-to resource for residents for help and support with eating a more nutritious diet and keeping to a healthy weight, drinking less alcohol, being more active, improving mental health and well-being, cutting out smoking and maintaining healthy sexual relationships.
JustBe Croydon – built by Social Change UK, a social research and campaign company – features a health MoT, inviting residents to complete an online assessment to get started on their journey to better health. In addition, there are motivational apps, podcasts, videos, expert advice, diet plans and exercise routes, all designed to make it even easier for people to look after themselves.
The website also signposts users to where they can receive further support from local community organisations and health services, if needed.
This digital offer from Croydon Council is phase one of its Live Well Croydon programme for anybody aged 16 and over. Some of the borough’s existing lifestyle services – smoking cessation, adult weight management, physical activity and alcohol screening – are currently commissioned and delivered as separate services, which misses the critical opportunity to address multiple unhealthy behaviours at the same time.
Live Well Croydon is based on a holistic lifestyle model that delivers better outcomes for residents in this category. The programme shares its approach with the national Public Health England ‘One You’ campaign for 40- to 50-year-olds.
Next year, services available on JustBe Croydon will expand to deliver one-to-one support from experts, lasting up to 52 weeks, based on current best practice around behaviour change. This will include a specialist lifestyle service in Croydon University Hospital for residents who are pregnant or have long-term conditions, and a lifestyle service in Mind in Croydon for residents with mental health issues.
Croydon’s Clinical Commissioning Group will also this week launch its Health Help Now website and app, a digital service to help communities find the right NHS and health and well-being services when they need help in a hurry, especially at night or at the weekend.
Councillor Louisa Woodley, cabinet member for families, health and social care
“Croydon Council is increasing its digital offer to residents, providing online services to meet the growing needs of a mobile and online community. The new JustBe Croydon website means residents are just a click away to self-help and encouragement to lead happier and healthier lives.
“With a little bit of help and support, taking big or little steps can make a real difference. This new online health platform and the work we’re undertaking as part of the Live Well Croydon programme, aim to reach out to everyone. This is one reason why we were also keen to continue to address more complex health needs through one-to-one support for those who may require more targeted help to identify lifestyle changes.”
Rachel Flowers, Croydon’s director of public health, said: “I’m pleased to introduce Croydon’s first interactive online health platform. We’ve selected the best tools to help residents make a positive change, from losing weight, being more active and stopping smoking to drinking less alcohol, maintaining healthy sexual relationships and getting tips to improve mental health and well-being.
“We’ve worked closely with residents and local agencies, including the Clinical Commissioning Group, to develop JustBe Croydon to ensure that this website can be a go-to resource for health advice across the borough. These partnerships will remain, working as the Live Well Croydon Alliance to continue improving Croydon’s public health offer for residents.”
JustBe Croydon can be followed on Twitter @JustBeCroydon #justbecroydon and Facebook/JustBeCroydon
