People living in Rutland are being asked to read and comment on a new Health and Wellbeing Strategy from Rutland County Council that lists a range of health priorities for the county and its residents.

Rutland is generally regarded as a healthy place to live where local people enjoy some of the best standards of health and wellbeing in England. However, the county is not without its health challenges, many of which have been made worse by the impact of COVID-19.

As part of a new initiative between the NHS and local councils across the country, local officials are looking at how they can best improve the health and wellbeing of their local population.

This has led to the creation of a new Health and Wellbeing Strategy for Rutland.

The strategy has been formed by Rutland's Health and Wellbeing Board, a committee within Rutland County Council that brings together a variety of organisations across the sectors that are responsible for people's health and care, including local NHS services.

The Health and Wellbeing Board is now asking local people in Rutland to share their views as part of a public consultation on the new Health and Wellbeing Strategy before its finalisation.

The draft strategy aims to improve health and wellbeing for everyone in Rutland, with a particular focus upon those encountering social disadvantages or already living with ill health. The population of specific areas within Rutland and even groups of people – such as those with special educational needs, the Armed Forces community, and the prison population – can have poorer health than most local residents, or even a lower take-up of health and wellbeing services. The strategy aims to tackle this, among other things.

Rutland's new Health and Wellbeing Strategy will, over the planned 3 year period, cover six priority themes to help focus these improvements:

The best start to life

Healthy and independent for as long as possible

Reducing health inequalities

Equitable access to health and wellbeing services

Preparing for population growth and change

Making sure people are well supported in the last phase of their lives A draft version of the new Health and Wellbeing Strategy has been published online for everyone to read by visiting the government website. Once reading this strategy, residents are invited to complete the short online survey to share their views. Councillor Oliver Hemsley, Leader of Rutland County Council and Cabinet Member for Health, said: "This new strategy aims to reduce health inequalities across the County and to improve access to services at a time when people's health and wellbeing have never been more important. We are committed to making sure everyone in Rutland has equitable access to high-quality care services, as well as the means to keep themselves healthy and well in order to prevent illness. I would encourage everyone to read the draft strategy document that's been published online and consider what it means to you and your family before giving us your feedback. It's vital that local communities have a say on the things that matter most to them and our wider County." The consultation on Rutland's Draft Health and Wellbeing Strategy runs for six weeks and will close on Friday 7 January 2022. Full details can be found online. You can also email [email protected] if you have any enquiries. Anyone who would like to take part in the consultation but does not have access to the internet can call Rutland County Council on 01572 722 577. The feedback gathered through this consultation will be evaluated by Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG), after which a report detailing the findings will be published. This will help to shape a final version of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which will be then be considered by Rutland's Health and Wellbeing Board in the New Year. Will you share your thoughts? Let us know what you think by clicking the 'Nub It' button on our website or share your own opinion by emailing [email protected] or messaging us on Facebook. We have shared opinion pieces in the past and we love to get feedback from the community, so do get in touch.