Trainees will work to improve health and wellbeing in RAPID areas of Mullingar and Athlone
Newly qualified trainees received their Level 6 awards in Sláintecare Healthy Communities Westmeath QQI in Health Literacy from Cllr Liam McDaniel, cathaoirleach, Westmeath County Council, in Tuar Ard Theatre, Moate, on Friday April 5.
Guest speakers who attended the ceremony along with Cllr McDaniel – Brigid Geoghegan, Sláintecare Healthy Communities Westmeath local development officer; Philip Woods, representing the QQI award recipients; and David Veitch, West Offaly Training, QQI trainer.
Introduced nationally in 2021, Sláintecare Healthy Communities is a cross-government initiative to deliver increased health and wellbeing services in 19 areas of greatest need across Ireland. Sláintecare Healthy Communities Westmeath is the culmination of close collaboration among partners including the Department of Health, the HSE and Westmeath County Council.
The goal is to improve the long-term health and wellbeing of the communities in the RAPID areas of Mullingar and Athlone.
The programme supports people to make healthier lifestyle choices to improve their overall physical and mental health and wellbeing.
The presentation of QQI Level 6 awards in Health Literacy to 15 trainees is the culmination of an identified need to support people to be better informed about their health.
Personal health literacy is having the knowledge, motivation, and competencies to access, understand, appraise, and apply health information to make judgments and decisions in everyday life.
Many people who deal effectively with other aspects of their lives find health information difficult to obtain, understand, or use. The EU Health Literacy Survey 2012 shows that four in 12 Irish adults have limited health literacy.
The Westmeath programme delivered two ‘Train the Trainer’ (QQI Level 6) courses for 15 people interested in helping to delivering Health Literacy in their own RAPID communities.
The courses have the potential to reduce health inequalities by supporting the most vulnerable communities and arming them with the knowledge to support everything from health and wellbeing to increased financial capability, with an ambition to include numeracy and financial literacy into future programmes.
This project is a result of co-operation with RAPID area communities of Athlone and Mullingar, and support agencies including Westmeath County Council, Youth Services, Athlone Family Resource Centre, Westmeath Libraries, and community reps from the RAPID areas.
Cllr McDaniel said: “Westmeath County Council have been at the forefront of developing and supporting communities for many years and had the foresight to actively seek to be one of the pilot areas for Sláintecare Healthy Communities programme.
“The local authority have a central role to play in promoting and supporting the health and wellbeing of our communities. We do this holistically through delivering the numerous functions of the local authority, from the housing and footpaths to the initiatives under the community development team including Westmeath Sports Partnership, arts, community, and leisure centres to the provision of libraries, parks, greenways and blueways and public realm.”
He concluded by thanking local development officer Brigid Geoghegan, “who carries out terrific work on behalf of Westmeath Healthy Communities Programme, including organising the Health Literacy ‘Train the Trainer’ Course”.
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“Congratulations and well done to all the graduates for your hard work and commitment to achieve your QQI Level 6 awards and for supporting your communities in health literacy.”
Ms Geoghegan said their objectives are that people are more confident to ask questions, make sound health decisions, manage health conditions, and find their way around health services and resources.
“Put simply, people who are better informed about their health, live longer, healthier lives.
“The Health Literacy Programme ‘Well Westmeath’ includes keeping body and brain active, eating well, communicating in health settings and local resources for health and wellbeing.”
She said the programme is also a fun and a social outlet, and added: “It has already been a huge learning curve, and we will work and grow this programme, adapting it to the needs of the communities and support them to be the best that they can be.”
Representing the award recipients, Philip Woods said: “I’m delighted to have had the opportunity to take part in this course and look forward to supporting communities.
“It is important to emphasise that our role is to deliver health literacy courses on how people can live healthier lives and to signpost people to where they can get the right advice, support, and help that they need.”