Save Lancashire Wellbeing Service!

"They are a safety net and you are cutting holes in it "
Despite overwhelming support for the service from the public, health, social care, emergency services and voluntary and faith sector partners, LCC looks set to ignore opposition to its plans to scrap Lancashire Wellbeing Service at the end of this year.
LCC meets Thursday June 13 14.00 as commissioners appear to recommend approval of closure.
Full report see attached appendix item 12
http://council.lancashire.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=122&MId=9430
Email LCC councillors: http://council.lancashire.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?bcr=1

1 week to go!
In just 7 days the council's consultation on its plans to scrap Lancashire Wellbeing Service will end with a final decision expected in May.
Please sign and circulate widely along with completing LCC's survey if you want to save this service and give hope to many whose mental and physical health will suffer if it disappears.
https://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/consultation/responses/response.asp?ID=361

“Just a note to say thank you for the work you do. It has made a significant difference to many of my patients socially and emotionally. I appreciate your can‐do approach and not having to complete reams of paperwork for you unending help! In practical terms I think at the very least your interventions reduce our intervention saving time and cost and thereby it would not make sense for this service not to be perpetually funded.” ‐ Fylde GP

A few reasons why LCC should Keep LWS: LCC says that GPs and the voluntary sector will be able to replace the service. However, as most people supported by LWS have moderate to severe mental and physical health needs (not low level as stated in the report) this would be unrealistic. The largest number of referrals to LWS come from mental health and social care and in order to work with people with complex needs facing significant life challlenges, Wellbeing Workers, receive extensive training not readily available in the voluntary sector, including; Health Trainer Level 3, Connect 5 and ASSIST. LCC states CCG’s fund similar services. These are small scale, focussed on navigation and connection of services, rather than resilience building through behaviour change. Removing the LWS will create a postcode lottery for preventative services.

Many thanks to those who came along to tell the council how they feel in person at County Hall on Valentine's Day.
Sadly, LCC voted in favour of the cuts, however, for Lancashire Wellbeing Service this will be subject to the outcome of a public consultation which continues until March 25th, when the petition will also be delivered.

Please keep sharing and tell LCC why this service means so much to you!

If you also want to take part in LCC's consultation follow this link to the anonymous survey:

https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=154659749196

LCC has launched its consultation on the proposed decision to end Lancashire Wellbeing Service. If you'd like to share your views directly with the decision makers follow this link to the survey: http://www3.lancashire.gov.uk/corporate/consultation/responses/response.asp?ID=361

On February 14th Lancashire County Council will meet to make a final decision whether to scrap Lancashire Wellbeing Service and cut many other public services as they propose to axe £77+ million off the 2019 budget. This is a false economy and will cost far more in the long run as public health will deteriorate and, as LCC have identified, people will die earlier, particularly if they are disadvantaged, which is in contradiction to this government's commitment to tackle health inequalities.
To make your voice heard in opposing the cuts which are contrary to central government's health policy to promote prevention of ill health, supporting community-led healthcare and investing in mental health, either come along on February 14th to join with others at County Hall, Preston from 11 am or send a Valentine's Day email to your MP or county councillor to ask if they Have A Heart and will support this campaign to save lives in Lancashire!

Thank you for signing! Please keep sharing, we don't have much time as the County Council is due to make a final decision on scrapping this service and cutting many others when it meets on February 14th at County Hall, Preston.
85% of people using Lancashire Wellbeing Service said they are now getting more out of life and 87% had improved their emotional wellbeing with 96% saying they were happy with the support they received.

Here's a few facts describing how Lancashire Wellbeing Service has helped people:
In 2017 - 2018 alone it provided over 30,000 hours of face-to-face support to people struggling with a wide range of issues affecting their physical and emotional wellbeing including mental distress from mild depression to those experiencing crises which have led them to consider suicide; loneliness and isolation; financial problems including benefits issues; housing issues including people facing homelessness; drug, alcohol and other addictions; carers struggling to cope; relationship problems including families affected by domestic abuse; employment issues and support for people looking to return to employment, volunteering or education; support for people affected by learning difficulties or autistic spectrum conditions; supporting people to cope with life-changes e.g. diagnoses of debilitating or life-limiting conditions the list continues...

Nearly 600 signatures in 3 days! Keep signing and sharing folks!
And your opinion appears to be making a difference, along with many letters and emails being sent directly to LCC to oppose the cutting of what many regard as a vital service, with rumours that there could be a 4-month reprieve til December, but, is that good enough when there are no plans to replace the service? Particularly, as LWS works with so many vulnerable and fragile people for whom support must be tapered off gradually and who need somewhere else to turn to for help to prevent severe adverse effects on their physical and mental health.

Many thanks to everyone who has already signed this. Please could people share this in other groups, particularly local ones and networks and with people via email? Many thanks. I have been informed that the county council is due to make a decision on the £77 million cuts to Lancashire Wellbeing Service along with many other local services (e.g. Welfare Rights - 50%!) at a budget and full council meeting at County Hall on February 14th and this is before any consultation has taken place, which begs the question as to whether that is just a formality.
For anyone interested in attending there is also to be a demonstration against the cuts at County Hall, Preston, on the 14th from 10 am.
Here is the document outlining the proposed cuts in full:
http://council.lancashire.gov.uk/documents/s142947/Appendix?fbclid=IwAR3RtZzssbyCsgzldsXS3UTGndaj57FTNkQuA0DN0cNHsn28l44COULIMh0