Director of Public Health annual report 2022/23

Dear colleagues,

I am delighted to share with you my Director of Public Health Annual Report 2022/23 – No Person is an Island: Social Connections in Gloucestershire.

This is my first annual report since taking up the position of DPH in Gloucestershire and this year, it reflects on our learning from the pandemic and the importance of connecting for our mental and physical wellbeing.

During the pandemic, a million more adults across the UK had become chronically lonely, disproportionately affecting young people, people living alone, people on low incomes or unemployed and people with mental health conditions. We know that having good-quality relationships can help us to live longer, happier lives with fewer mental health challenges and our support from social networks can strengthen our ability to bounce back after stressful situations.

Tackling social isolation and loneliness is not the responsibility of just one organisation or group of people – everyone can play their part in supporting people who may be at risk of experiencing loneliness and enabling our communities to have the social connections they need and want.

I invite you to share this report with your networks and consider which of the recommendations you might be able to implement to ensure Gloucestershire is a place where everyone feels connected.

A PDF version of the report can be accessed here or an online version of the report, which includes a video foreword and additional video case studies can be accessed here. The online version of the report includes a form to allow individuals and organisations to submit their own examples of how they have helped connect people in Gloucestershire. We will also shortly be publishing an easy read version of the report.

Best wishes

Siobhan