In the News

Click to get fit with the HAS Health Manager! – September 14th 2009

Everyone in Suffolk now has a unique opportunity to get fitter, healthier and happier after Healthy Ambitions Suffolk became the first organisation in the country to offer county-wide access to an innovative online programme designed to improve health and wellbeing.

The Healthy Ambitions Suffolk Health Manager, available through www.healthyambitionssuffolk.co.uk, has today gone live. The programme offers specially tailored help, support and advice which encourage individuals to take simple steps to improve their health.

Volunteers who have tested the award-winning programme have already given it rave reviews, describing it as "absolutely brilliant and so easy to use". It is now hoped thousands of others from across Suffolk will follow their lead and take the first steps towards making their own healthy ambitions become a reality.

The programme was developed for Healthy Ambitions Suffolk by GetFit Wellness.

"I really liked the way the Health Manager allowed me to review my current lifestyle – and didn’t just concentrate on my lack of fitness!" said Nicola Brunning, who lives near Felixstowe.

"The feedback at the end was reassuring and gave me some great information on what I’m already doing right, as well as some useful pointers on what I could be doing differently. I’ve set myself some achievable goals on improving my flexibility and cardiovascular fitness as a direct result of this feedback.

"The guidance I’m getting through the programme is perfect for me as it’s delivered direct to my desktop – which is ideal when you’re a busy working mum without much time to spare!"

And Julie Morgan, who has also trialled the programme, echoed her views, saying: "I felt that the Health Manager was absolutely brilliant! It was interesting, so easy to use and very informative. I know several other people who will be really keen to give it a go!"

Everyone logging onto the programme for the first time will be asked to answer a short survey about their current health, lifestyle and family history. They will then be provided with a picture of their health now, which gives details of areas where they are doing well and those which could be improved.

Participants are asked to pick one personal health goal, such as taking more activity, sleeping better, eating more healthily or relieving stress, depression or anxiety. They will be then given access to range of online tutorials and weekly emailed encouragement to help them meet that goal.

Sally Hogg, head of health improvement partnerships at NHS Suffolk, said: "We are delighted to have become the first organisation in the country to offer this innovative and award-winning programme across a whole county. Absolutely everyone who lives in Suffolk can now benefit from it.

"The programme has been designed to be clear, accessible and easy for everyone to use. Anyone who logs on will get all of the help and support they need to achieve their own personal health and wellbeing goals, and will also be able to find a huge range of information about local sports clubs, exercise classes and support groups.

"I would encourage everyone to give the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk Health Manager a try. It will be the most useful website you have ever visited!"

Ultrasis Shares in National Award - September 1st 2009

A partner of Ultrasis, Healthy Ambitions Suffolk, has become just one of three organisations, and the only partnership scheme, to pick up a coveted Royal Society for Public Health award in recognition of the work that has taken place to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone who lives and works in the county.

The "Public Health Promotion and Community Wellbeing" award was awarded for the Healthy Ambitions Suffolk project of which Ultrasis's GetFit Wellness health and wellbeing programme represents a key part.

GetFit Wellness combines its online behaviour change programmes with remote motivational support to create personalised plans which aid the development of a healthier lifestyle.

Sally Hogg, Head of Health Improvement Partnerships at NHS Suffolk and member of Healthy Ambitions Suffolk Board said: "The GetFit Wellness programme enables us to engage any resident of Suffolk in their health and wellbeing, help them set personal health and lifestyle goals and connect them to local support and activities that are right for them. The GetFit Wellness programme therefore fits in perfectly with the aim of Healthy Ambitions Suffolk to make the county the healthiest in the UK. The programme is a key contributor to our winning such a prestigious award. Not only is winning this award hugely gratifying for everyone who has worked so hard to get this important project off the ground, but it also shows that Healthy Ambitions Suffolk has resonance on a national stage."

Nigel Brabbins, CEO of Ultrasis commented: "We're delighted to be associated with this national award as it commends the integrated, partnership approach Healthy Ambitions Suffolk has taken and which connects our online wellbeing services to a Suffolk-wide support infrastructure to reach, and more importantly, to engage people in their health and lifestyle."

GetFit Wellness and Wellness Technology Partnership - October 29th 2007

GetFit Wellness Ltd (GW) a leading provider of web-based wellness and healthy living solutions today announced a strategic partnership with Wellness Technology Ltd (WT) a leader in population health assessment and health promotion programmes.

The deal means that GW's award winning exercise and nutrition services will be seamlessly integrated with WT's health assessment solutions offering highly personalised physical activity and nutrition programmes to individuals that need to be more active, lose weight and improve long-term health.

Mike Owen, Director at Wellness Technology said:

"By including GetFit Wellness' services within our health assessment platform it means that we can now not only identify a person's health risks but also provide them with highly tailored behaviour change programmes to reduce them. We chose GetFit Wellness because their solutions are so personalised and comprehensive with powerful management reporting capabilities to demonstrate participation, behaviour change and health outcomes."

The Department of Health predicts that 31% of the population will be obese by 2010 and work-related stress is costing the economy £3.7bn per year, according to the Health and Safety Executive, so health promotion and behaviour change programmes that can identify and support individuals to manage their weight, heart health and diet can play a vital role in arresting these trends.

Steve Russell, Co-CEO at GetFit Wellness commented:

"We are delighted to be partnering with Wellness Technology in order to help large populations of people identify, adopt and sustain a healthier way of life. Exercise and nutrition are two of the most important determinants of health and we have invested heavily to provide programmes that are attainable, personal and follow best practice."

The combined services will be available to WT's customers by December 2007.

About Wellness Technology Ltd

Wellness Technology delivers detailed health risk assessment programmes for both organisations and individuals. Confidential web-based questionnaires gather personal data on activity, diet, sleep, psychological health and social health, and organisational data on the job, the psychological environment and corporate culture. The anonymised data is then analysed using traditional statistical techniques combined with artificial intelligence to provide detailed analysis of health risk together with direction and information to maintain or improve that risk