How have you used your learning about health literacy?
At the individual level, I aim to incorporate learnings into all communications. With written materials, I strive to tailor to the intended audience. As a Health Literacy Champion, I’ve taken on the challenge of delivering health literacy awareness training. This has really consolidated learning and deepened my insights. It’s also been very rewarding and enjoyable; Rupert and I have had rave reviews!
At a team level, we set out to deliver the awareness raising 2hr training to the whole of Public Health Dorset / LiveWell Dorset staff team. And we covered about 2/3rd during 2024. Rupert and I have also begun summarising evaluation feedback and making the case to partners for a ‘scaled-up’, system wide programme to build on our work to date.
I’ve aimed to support and encourage other health literacy champions through hosting an online Community of Practice and providing online materials.
What are your plans/goals for the future?
As many of you know, Public Health Dorset will split into two Local Authority based teams from 1st April 2025.
We are working to try and ‘land’ an at scale proposal for health literacy development programme across the Dorset health and care system. Hopefully, I’ll have a role in either the BCP or Dorset Public Health teams and will continue to advocate for and support health literacy work.
Outside of my day job I am Chair of West Howe Community Enterprises, and we will be looking to promote health literacy in all that the charity does.
What could help you achieve your plans/goals or help organisations in Dorset become health literate?
There really needs to be system level championing of the health literacy agenda. Hopefully the Chief People Officers will agree to the inclusion of health literacy in the required training for new staff.
We’re also looking to the ICB Population Health and Health Inequalities team to pick up the baton and take forward the webpages and Champions Community of Practice.
