Agenda item
BOARD DISCUSSION: HOW DO WE TACKLE LONELINESS IN TOWER HAMLETS?
Councillor Denise Jones - Board Members will be asked at the meeting to explore ‘how can we tackle loneliness in the borough?’ This will be to inform our approach going forward.
Minutes:
Prompted by a survey launched by BBC Radio 4 called ‘the loneliness experiment’, the Chair raised a discussion point on how to tackle loneliness in the borough.
A short film was played which showed the impact of loneliness locally in Tower Hamlets. The video was well received, Members applauded the compassion of the people involved in the project in trying to address loneliness in the borough.
Comments and suggestions from the Board:
- Gateway’s Winter Warmers volunteer scheme to check on elderly people was praised as well as schemes to move people out of large under occupied housing and into shared accommodation.
- There has been an increase in patients presenting with loneliness which is often categorised under mental health.
- Health professionals require a better understanding of the impact of loneliness on mental health.
- Loneliness is not an issue that only affects older people, young people such as first time mothers can also experience loneliness. There are life altering situations that can trigger loneliness.
- A systemised approach to tackling loneliness is required.
- Social prescribing should be expanded in primary care and integrated into the voluntary sector.
- There should be a public facing portal listing social prescribing services and voluntary services to assist with signposting.
- Social space at GP surgeries - facilities such as public wifi and a coffee cart should be available at GP surgeries.
- Basic IT skills, learning how to use an ipad can open up opportunities for interaction.
- At hospital discharge a ‘social plan’ should be incorporated into the discharge process.
- It is important to connect services to the voluntary sector. The voluntary sector has many befriending schemes but they are sometimes overlooked and charities are under pressure so cannot always send representatives to meetings.
- Address loneliness in infrastructure planning – take into consideration the social element when giving planning permission.
- The police do signpost to charities such as Age Concern when they come across an isolated person but due to increasing pressures, they no longer have enough time to provide social calls.
- Partnering older people with younger people has proven to alleviate loneliness and reduce anti-social behaviour.
- People should be encouraged to start hobbies and interests that they can sustain such as joining a community choir.
- Loneliness affects those with disabilities and chronic illnesses. A sub-group should be created to discuss this issue and take action.
- There is a need for community transport to get people out of the house and into the community.
- A ‘friend through the phone’ scheme similar to Age Concern.
- Sharing food and music can cross language barriers.
The Chair closed the discussion and thanked the Board for their ideas. It was agreed that the topic of loneliness should be included on the forward plan for the next municipal year.
Before the meeting came to a close the Chair thanked Councillors Amy Whitelock-Gibbs and Councillor Rachael Saunders for their work and contributions towards health and wellbeing in the borough. It was announced that Councillor Whitelock-Gibbs and Councillor Rachael Saunders will not be standing for re-election in 2018.