Use this page as a directory to quickly find the resources and contacts you need to protect others from harm, or promote health and wellbeing. You may also want to browse our Public Health resources (by setting) page, for a fast-track checklist of resources which may be particularly useful in different professional settings.
We recognise that Public Health works with medical, social and personal issues which often overlap in complex ways. Throughout this Public Health content, we aim to signpost you to related resources and services which may be relevant to your role, or your clients' needs. In many cases, these other council teams and web pages may also be useful:
How we have organised these resources
We have organised information into common Public Health topics, covering health protection and harm reduction, and the promotion of health and wellbeing, including the structural and social provisions which promote good health and wellbeing. Within each topic, we have identified the different functions that you may need in your work:
- Checking and updating your own professional knowledge of the topic, including local strategies, plans and services
- Providing campaign material to help clients to make positive changes
- Referring clients to other organisations or sources of help (including B&NES council services)
Select a topic below to explore the different resources and contacts which are available for each task.
Health protection
Visit our dedicated COVID-19 information and support page for guidance on vaccinations, latest figures and help for residents, vulnerable people and businesses.
Check your knowledge, and referral for clients
Visit our Emergency planning page to find out how to plan for or report a health emergency. The information includes the role and contact details of our Emergency Management team, as well as toolkits and advice for individuals, or managers in workplace settings, to improve their emergency resilience.
Check your knowledge
Self-help resources for clients
You can refer clients to our dedicated page, Get help with NHS screening and immunisation
Check your knowledge
The UKHSA complete routine vaccination schedule includes childhood vaccinations and selective programmes, for people with underlying medical conditions.
Gov.UK has information and training on supporting vaccination uptake in childcare and educational settings.
Local contacts and referrals for clients
You can refer clients to our dedicated page, Get help with NHS screening and immunisation
- Walk-in vaccination clinics for COVID-19
- Book, cancel or change a COVID-19 vaccination appointment
- Book or manage a free NHS flu vaccination at a pharmacy
- School aged immunisation service
Information for students starting further or higher education
With lots of people newly coming together in confined environments and close mixing, universities can be hotspots for measles, mumps and meningococcal disease. It's really important to ensure that you are up to date with these vaccines:
- MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine
- MenACWY vaccine (protecting against 4 types of meningococcal disease)
- HPV vaccine protecting against genital warts, and cervical and other cancers caused by the human papilloma virus (HPV)
- Td/IPV booster vaccine protecting against diphtheria, tetanus and polio
Check your eligibility and when to get vaccinated
- You normally get two doses of MMR vaccine during childhood: one as a toddler and one before primary school.
- You normally get HPV, MenACWY vaccines and the Td/IPV booster while at secondary school. Girls remain eligible for HPV vaccine up to your 25th birthday, and boys born after 1 September 2006 are also eligible until your 25th birthday.
- All GPs should be able to offer any of these routine vaccines to eligible students. Students from overseas are also eligible for these vaccines, with similar age-related restrictions.
Check with your GP practice if you're not sure if your vaccines are up to date. Ideally, you should arrange to have any vaccines you have missed before leaving for university or college. If that's not possible, you should make arrangements with your new GP as soon as you can after starting university or college.
Check your knowledge
- Managers and staff in residential care homes can make use of the documents and advice available from South West Councils.
- If you work in a care setting, you can also sign up to the care providers newsletter.
- Our Hub site has many resources for prevention and control of infectious diseases, particularly regarding young people.
- The Hub also has specific resources for managing Scarlet Fever and Invasive Group A Strep.
- For schools and Early Years settings, there is guidance on COVID-19 prevention and protection on the B&NES Hub, and advice for COVID-19 precautions for adults on the Gov.UK website.
Resources for children
View our Germ Busters campaign on the B&NES Hub, an interactive, educational infection prevention programme for primary school children.
Visit the B&NES Hub for education and social care providers, for information on preventing accidents and injury among children and vulnerable people.
Self-help
Prolonged heatwaves or harsh winters can present serious dangers to public health, particularly for infants, the elderly, and people with some health conditions. These GOV.UK-published guides cover common problems and how to keep yourself safe:
Harm reduction: community and social
Check your knowledge
B&NES Fair Food Alliance (FFA)
Food insecurity affects around one in six households in Bath and North East Somerset. The B&NES Fair Food Alliance has led on creating the B&NES Food Equity Action Plan, linking to wider strategies on food, health, inequalities and sustainability.
Two primary working groups are leading the Food Equity Action Plan:
- The Income Maximisation Group brings together key local organisations who offer practical support, advice and guidance for financial issues, including benefits, debt and crisis grants.
You can find Information on all these services on the Livewell BANES cost of living pages. A locally-specific ‘Worried About Money?’ leaflet is also available in online and print formats. Contact public_health@bathnes.gov.uk to arrange delivery of print copies to your organisation.
- The Affordable Food Network brings together local providers of free and affordable food in community settings, such as foodbanks, pantries, food clubs, community fridges, and community cafes. A listing can be found on the BANES FoodFinder page. The network also has representation from local funders and surplus food providers.
It seeks to work together to offer B&NES residents access to affordable food, and the help they need to prevent and manage challenges that lead to food insecurity.
A strong theme of dignity and inclusion is at the heart of Fair Food Alliance work, guided by Nourish Scotland’s Dignity in Practice principles. The FFA have also undertaken qualitative research, with the University of Bath, to better understand and give voice to the experiences of people living with food insecurity in B&NES.
View the Fair Food Alliance's infographic for its research findings and research report.
Self-help for clients
Across Bath and North East Somerset, there are multiple organisations that can help in cases of food insecurity, offering both affordable food and emergency free food parcels for those that need them. The following services can help residents to find the right support:
- The BANES Foodfinder website helps you to find your nearest source of help.
- The Trussell Trust have an online service to find your nearest food bank, as well as advice about what you can expect when you visit.
- Our Livewell website has links to other organisations supporting families in need, including food banks and Free School Meals.
- Livewell's Quids In magazine has advice on cupboard management and cooking on a budget.
- The Citizen's Advice website also has information on how to get started with your local food bank.
Contacts and referrals for clients
The B&NES Wellness Service offers free programmes on food and health to support parents and children with healthy eating and physical activity. Call free on 0300 247 0050 to talk to a wellbeing advisor.
If you’re on a low income and 10 or more weeks pregnant, or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get free vitamins and help to buy healthy food, milk, and infant formula as part of the NHS Healthy Start programme. If you are under 18 and pregnant, there is no income limit for eligibility for this programme.
Check your knowledge
The B&NES Hub has a lot of information on the Best Start in Life (BSIL) programme for pregnant women and young children.
View the B&NES Hub Early Help page for information and contacts for professionals.
Visit NHS Digital for information for professionals on the National Child Measurement programme
Self-help tools and referrals for clients
The Early Help Service and smartphone app can provide a wide variety of help and support for families in difficulty, and clients can self-refer.
NHS online has information for the public on the importance of the National Child Measurement programme, what to expect, and why it's important.
Visit the SafeBanes website for information on all aspects of sexual and reproductive health, including a section for professionals (sign-up required).
Self-help and contacts for clients
See our dedicated page on this topic, Get help with problems related to domestic violence or abuse.
Health promotion
Self-help and referral for clients
See our dedicated page on this topic, Healthy living.
Children who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals may also benefit from the Activate Your Holiday food and holiday activity programme. View the Activate Your Holiday page on our Livewell website for more information.
Check your knowledge
- Drug and Alcohol Strategy 2022 to 2027
- Alcohol Change UK offer access to a range of research, training and policy related to alcohol use.
- The Smart website lists screening tests and tools for GPs and other professionals working with clients with substance dependency issues and some mental health problems.
- Our Local Drug Information System (LDIS), alongside a drug alert system, has been designed to share intelligence efficiently and consistently on new and/or novel, potent, adulterated, or contaminated drugs.
Self-help and referral for clients
You can refer yourself to local support services:
See our dedicated page on this topic, Get help with problems related to drugs or alcohol.
Self-help prevention tools for clients
Use the Diabetes Risk Score tool to find out if you are at risk of type 2 diabetes.
People with a higher risk of developing diabetes may be eligible for the free NHS Healthier You: Diabetes Prevention Programme.
Contacts and referrals for clients
If you have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you can get free NHS support online to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Free local support to manage type 2 diabetes is also available from the B&NES Wellness Service.
Check your knowledge
Visit the British Heart Foundation portal for professionals for campaign resources to help you to support clients living with heart conditions. You can learn how to do CPR or use a defibrillator, and how to teach others to do so.
Self-help tools for clients
Use the NHS Heart Age calculator to give you an idea of how healthy your heart is.
The British Heart Foundation also has detailed information about risk factors for heart disease, and what you can do to reduce them.
B&NES resources and materials
Our Every Sip Counts campaign offers a set of digital and print resources to encourage and promote the benefits of staying hydrated.
Check your knowledge
- Tobacco Control strategy
- Vaping Guidance Document
- National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training, a range of online courses to support professionals in helping smokers to quit
Online self-help resources for clients
The NHS Better Health campaign has a range of free information, support and tools dedicated to helping you quit:
- The NHS Quit Smoking smartphone App (for Android or iPhone)
- A personalised quit plan
- Daily motivational emails
- Access to community support
- Information on available treatments, including nicotine replacement therapy (to buy, or on prescription)
- Advice on using nicotine replacement vapes (E cigs), which deliver nicotine without the tar and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke, and are an effective quit aid for many.
- A free national phone line where you can speak to a trained Stop Smoking Advisor. Call 0300 123 1044 (Monday to Friday: 9am to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday: 11am to 4pm)
Visit the B&NES Hub for a range of information and resources tailored for parents/carers and educational settings, concerning smoking and vaping amongst young people.
Local contacts and referrals for clients
If you live, work or are registered with a GP in B&NES, you can use our Local Stop Smoking Service. This is a free, confidential service to help you quit smoking or cut down the amount you smoke. Contact them on freephone 0300 247 0050 or via email at BATHNES.thehub@hcrgcaregroup.com.
Local GPs and pharmacists can also offer support and advice if you want to stop smoking, cut down, or switch to vaping (E cigs, which deliver nicotine but without the tar or carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke).
Stop smoking support is also available to pregnant women through our Health in Pregnancy Service, delivered by the Royal United Hospital Maternity Service. Speak to your midwife for more information.
Self-help resources for clients
Visit the NHS website for comprehensive advice on how to reduce your risk of having a stroke.
If you or a family member has had a stroke, visit The Stroke Association website for resources and support.
Check your knowledge
Visit the B&NES Hub Public Health programme for information to support educational settings to plan their health-related provision, including the teaching curriculum.
Self-help tools for clients
Visit NHS Better Health website for tools, tips and information on low-cost weight loss programmes for everyone, as well as a dedicated area to help parents working towards a healthier lifestyle as a family.
The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is designed especially for those who have weight-related health issues, such as diabetes or high blood pressure (see also information about diabetes care.)
Contacts and referrals for clients
In B&NES, our Wellness Service offers free local programmes for adults either face-to-face, via an app, or online, to support you to achieve your goals. We also provide free programmes on food and health to support parents and children with healthy eating and physical activity. Visit the Wellness Service website, or call free on 0300 247 0050 to talk to a wellbeing advisor.
Wellbeing promotion
Check your knowledge
The places where we live and work have a significant impact on our health. Things such as the condition of our homes, available green space, and what we can buy in our nearest shops, can shape how easy it is for us to live healthy lives. Explore the wider determinants which affect public health on the GOV.UK website, or watch a short video summarising this topic.
Our Public Health team works with colleagues across the council who are responsible for areas such as transport, business and skills, and planning, to make Bath and North East Somerset a healthier place to live. An awareness of public health and wellbeing is a central part of many council policies and strategies:
- Planning: The Local Plan, guidance on affordable warmth
- Transport: Liveable Neighbourhoods Programme, Journey to Net Zero Strategy
- Business and Regeneration: Economic Strategy, Bath Local Centres Improvement Scheme
Check your knowledge
- Suicide Prevention Strategy
- Suicide Prevention Action Plan
- Mental Health Needs Assessment
- Making every contact count (MECC)
- Training dates for MECC, 2023 (bookable online)
Contacts and referrals
B&NES website pages
- Get mental health advice and support
- Get mental health and wellbeing support for children and young people
- Virtual School mental health support (for looked-after and previously looked-after children)
Livewell directory of local services and organisations
Check your knowledge and referrals for clients
Social prescribing is a holistic approach to healthcare, involving referring patients to local non-clinical community groups and services, in order to address the wider causes of their ill-health. This can include things like social walking groups, community gardens, and cycling lessons.
Below are some of the schemes in our district:
Somer Valley
Find out more about The Active Way, a program of free walking and cycling activities, funded by Active Travel England.
The Somer Valley Rediscovered project is a strategic green infrastructure programme covering the areas of Radstock, Midsomer Norton and Westfield, the large villages of Paulton and Peasedown St John and surrounding countryside and smaller villages. The project aims to open up greater public access to spaces for leisure and biodiversity, and will involve an extensive programme of community engagement including volunteering opportunities, events and activities, working with the local health authorities, and green social prescribing activities.
Bath
Visit the Bathscape website to find out more about this project to restore and promote the landscape in and around Bath. There are lots of local events, and a wide variety of opportunities for volunteers to get involved.
District-wide and online
If you are 16 or over, and live, work or are registered with a GP in Bath and North East Somerset, you're eligible for free Wellbeing College Courses. There are a wide variety of courses available locally, some in person and some online, covering topics such as creative skills and interests, outdoor activities, technology, and personal development through mindfulness and yoga.
Contact and referral for clients
The B&NES Wellness Service offers free local programmes for adults, with a choice of delivery methods, to suit your needs and support you to achieve your goals:
- Face-to-face
- Via a smartphone app
- Online
We also provide free programmes on food and health, to support parents and children with healthy eating and physical activity. Call free on 0300 247 0050 to talk to a wellbeing advisor, or ask your GP or nurse to advise on the best programme for you.
Check your knowledge and self-help tools
WECA's Thrive at Work programme offers free resources for private and third sectors in Bath and North East Somerset. The programme is aimed at managers and leaders, and provides easy access tools and resources to support their teams' long-term mental health and wellbeing.
Visit the Health and Safety Executive website for information and guidance for employers and managers about managing workplace stress and other mental health conditions. Materials include a practical workbook on stress risk assessment and management in the workplace.
Visit the Mind website for a range of tools to manage your mental health at work, or support to manage the mental health and wellbeing of teams you are responsible for. Resources include risk assessments to help you spot burnout, cope with life events like redundancy, and adjust to different modes of working such as remote or hybrid set-ups.