One Stockport has announced a wide-ranging health and wellbeing strategy for implementation across the borough until 2030.

One Stockport is an organisation aimed at promoting local businesses and encouraging collaboration within the borough community. Funded jointly by council reserves, external grants, and partners, in the past it has been responsible for devising an economic plan for Stockport, encouraging local shopping, and more. 

This latest campaign is aimed at making 'a real difference' to mental health and wellbeing. As stated on the launch page on the One Stockport website: "The strategy will see the council join together with many partner organisations from across the statutory and voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sectors as One Stockport, to improve mental health for all."

The campaign will involve grants, working with the council and local schools, and more. 

The report argues that a strategy to address mental health is increasingly important, given that the number of people diagnosed with serious mental illness by Stockport GPs has risen over time; as of 2021/22 this included 3,040 people, a 41% rise from 2004/05.

Another survey showed that 20% of Stockport students in years eight and 10 reported 'low life satisfaction'. 

To help address these rising trends, One Stockport outlined the following five key strategies as part of its mental health plan:

A focus on lived experience - One Stockport's mental health plan aims to be informed by the real experiences of those who suffer or have suffered with mental health issues. One of the ideas in this regard is to "ensure representatives of people with lived experience play a full part in development and planning groups as well as relevant boards."

'Embedding mental health and wellbeing in everything we do' - As One Stockport said: "Where appropriate, we will work with partners at local, Greater Manchester, and regional levels, to influence national policies that significantly impact on mental health and wellbeing in Stockport."

Promote awareness and understanding of mental health - This could include working to develop sub-campaigns to highlight mental health issues in an accesible way.

Working with communities - This could include delivering grants from the One Stockport local investment fund for mental health and wellbeing support amongst voluntary, community, faith and social enterprises.

Improving mental health support - As One Stockport says in its plan: "We will bring together services and pathways for people experiencing mental ill health so that it is seamless and focusses on a strength-based, person-centred approach."

Councillor Keith Holloway, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care at Stockport Council, commented: "Mental health is very important to our residents, and it has not always been given the attention it deserves. This is therefore a key priority for local partners and I'm proud that the council has been a part of developing this One Stockport strategy. It will focus on tangible actions to improve mental health and wellbeing in Stockport for everyone, and embed mental health into everything we do."

You can read the full strategy report HERE.

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