New health hub app launched

This week saw the launch of a new health  and wellbeing mobile app at The Venue, Huyton.

Through a combination of health services, community groups, volunteer groups and others, there is lots of support available in Knowsley for many common issues, but many people just may not be aware of them.

The Knowsley Health Hub is a new mobile app for the people of Knowsley to get news and information on health, community and wellbeing in Knowsley. The app is packed full of easy to understand, fun, engaging interactive tools, tips, hints and information which is relevant to Knowsley people.

The aim of the app is to help the everyday Knowsley person to understand what health support services are available to them in their locality.

The information is presented by other Knowsley people in short videos where they give their experiences of those services and share their advice for to other people who might be interested in the same services and going through the same things.

This could be services for people struggling with weight loss, some who might recently have had a heart attack, parents with young children, or mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or eating disorders.

Health information can be difficult to understand. Public Health England has found that 42% English adults are unable to understand everyday health information. The information is often complicated and not easy to engage with.  

In Knowsley, the health of people is generally worse than the England average. Life expectancy for both men and women is lower than the England average. Estimated levels of adult healthy eating and smoking are worse than the England average.

Early death rates from cancer and from heart disease and stroke remain worse than the England average. Rates of smoking related deaths and hospital stays for alcohol related harm worse than the England average.

By providing information on wider wellbeing services in Knowsley, including community groups, voluntary groups, health services in primary and secondary care, and local services such as gyms and others, the Knowsley Health Hub aims to help Knowsley people to understand what support is available to them and by watching people talk about their experiences of that support, reduce anxiety about taking the next steps to actually accessing that support.

Sarah Moore from Knowsley Health Hub, said: “I have been bowled over by the support that the app has received from the Knowsley community.

“There is a huge generosity of spirit in Knowsley in terms of people wanting to help each other out and sharing their stories on camera to help other people going through the same things with their health and well being.

“There is so much going on in Knowsley that many people are not be aware of and help and support is available often where people might not realise. This is especially true in the area of mental health.

“The support from clinicians and health providers too has been huge. The app is a way for them to communicate with their service users in a more meaningful way and several community health providers have already gotten on board.

“We are always looking to add to the resource, so if people out there have a service they are looking to promote, get in touch via the website .

“The project has been funded on a shoe string with some initial funding from the Prime Minister’s Challenge Fund (NHS fund) as an innovation pilot project. We have achieved an enormous amount with the budget”.

If you would like to have your group or service displayed on the app get in touch via the website at www.KnowsleyHealthHub.co.uk