Housing and Health Award Winner

The UK Housing Awards from the Chartered Institute of Housing and Inside Housing magazine are now in their thirteenth year. They recognise excellence in housing across ten categories as well as outstanding achievement in England, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and the UK. The awards were presented on 11th November at a ceremony at the Park Lane Hilton attended by Minister for Housing and Planning John Healey MP, hosted by broadcaster Lesley Riddoch and with guest speaker Tim Campbell, winner of the fist series of The Apprentice.

The ExtraCare Charitable Trust won the award for contributing to housing and health for their Wellbeing project (initially funded by a Department of Health section 64 grant), which supports older people to maintain or regain independence and manage their own health. Wellbeing Advisers (RGNs) based in Extracare's 28 retirement schemes empower residents to make informed choices about their own lifestyles and health via a holistic Wellbeing Assessment, an individual action plan and a follow up assessment.

The ECCT Wellbeing team

CIH Vice President Paddy Gray said: "This work is particularly impressive as it involves residents as mentors for others and has not only provided practical help to improve day-to-day quality of life and wellbeing, it has also prevented many acute admissions into hospital, reduced pharmaceutical interventions and aims to minimise moves into residential care."

John Healey MP said: ""I congratulate the team behind the Wellbeing project, who are showing what can be achieved despite the recession, and every winner that is delivering the very best housing and services where they are needed most."

(More information can be found in the 20/11/2009 edition of Inside Housing under the link below)