Campaign to End Loneliness

Loneliness and isolation

a toolkit for health and wellbeing boards

Welcome to the loneliness toolkit for health and wellbeing boards, developed by the Campaign to End Loneliness

Social isolation and loneliness is a key determinant of the current and future health and social care needs of the older population. It is therefore potentially a very important issue for health and wellbeing boards.

This toolkit is designed to help health and wellbeing boards consider how they might build it into their Joint Strategic Needs Assessments (JSNAs) and Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies (JHWSs).

It explains Why loneliness matters, How you can respond and the Latest from the Campaign to End Loneliness.

The benefits to health and quality of life of addressing loneliness are clear

for example, reduced depression and increased physical activity.

Both of these have major consequences for the control of some long term conditions.   There are also significant potential QIPP savings for example, reduced prescribing costs and emergency admissions.

Dr Shikha Pitalia

GP, United League Commissioning Localities in St Helens and Wigan, North  

Featured case study

West Moors Befrienders (aka Phone a Friend)

WRVS project-manages West Moors Befrienders. The service was originally set up as a telephone befriending service by Dr Anne Hayden, a GP, to support older patients identified as needing emotional support for example, they might have been recently bereaved or have a history of depression. The project was explicitly designed to increase self-confidence and also [...] read more



Quick start