East Lothian Council’s Housing Team and East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership have secured a top Scottish award for their joint work on the Wellwynd Hub in Tranent.

On Friday 25th October, Wellwynd Hub, Tranent won the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Excellence in Health & Wellbeing award (sponsored by River Clyde Homes), which focuses on excellence in the areas of fit-for-purpose housing, adaptations and preventative services - Wellwynd Hub definitely fills the bill!

The Hub came about when East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership, working with the council’s Housing Service, converted a former warden’s flat for sheltered housing into a ‘dementia friendly’ homely setting. The facility in Tranent features smart technology to assist people requiring technology to help with daily tasks such as reminders or turning on lights by voice command. It has transformed services to people requiring occupational therapy, telecare and housing interventions in East Lothian.

It provides awareness sessions for Telecare and Technology Enabled Care (TEC) to support staff to find effective solutions for assisting clients with every day activities.

Occupational therapy intervention is also provided through a service offered three days a week. An open referral system is operated where people can be jointly assessed by occupational therapy and physiotherapy and strategies are provided to enable greater independence at home or accessing community resources. Monthly clinics are also held with community housing officers to assess requests for health and housing needs. Referrals are made via the Adult Social Care Community Access Team. It is intended that this will be rolled out across the county, allowing more people to access this unique service at the point of need.

East Lothian Council Health and Social Care spokesperson/Integration Joint Board Chair Councillor Fiona O’Donnell said:

"Wellwynd Hub delivers all the CIH award’s key criteria - good partnership between housing and health and social care; positive impact on the wider local community; innovative approaches, and successfully dealing with complex needs and issues.

"I know that the Hub has made a real and positive difference to people in East Lothian living with dementia and disabilities, and to their carers. I want to congratulate everyone involved on their very well-deserved win."

East Lothian Council Housing spokesperson Councillor Jim Goodfellow adds:

"The Hub focuses on taking a joined-up approach to active and independent living for people with mobility problems and works on the basis that taking a holistic view of each person’s needs makes a really positive difference. I am very proud of the role that East Lothian’s Housing Team has played in this innovative project and the excellent outcomes they have achieved.  I’d like to pass on my congratulations, too, on this great example of truly integrated working."

Chartered Institute of Housing Director Callum Chomczuk says:

"Wellwynd Hub was a worthy winner in our health and wellbeing category. The work that the teams in East Lothian are doing is making a huge difference to the lives of some of our most vulnerable fellow-citizens. Partnerships like this one, combining new ideas in housing and health, are at the heart of what the Scottish Excellence Awards are all about, and I’m sure many other organisations across Scotland will be looking at our winners to see how they can apply these solutions to the challenges they face."

The Hub was already Highly Commended at the COSLA Excellence Awards earlier this month.

Published: Tuesday, 29th October 2019