1. Craig Lister Head of Preventative Health Commissioning Bedfordshire
MECC in Primary Care
Craig Lister
Head of Preventative Health Commissioning
Bedfordshire

2. Challenges Another programme… No additional income attached
Evidence base
Evidencing outcome

3. Benefits Wide impact for minimal effort
Additional options for referral
Free training and materials
Potential to reduce prescribing costs
Potential to improve wider population health

4. Progress Champions agreed: CCG SEPT Mental Health Jobs Hub
Active Transport Hub
Presented to:
Practice nurses
School nurses
SEPT community teams
Outreach teams*

5. Training

6. By the end of the session you should be able to:
apply Make Every Contact Count within your role
ask people about their lifestyle choices
advise people of facts and tips to help change unhealthy lifestyle behaviours
be confident to deliver Brief Advice
refer people to appropriate help and support
record your contacts
know where to go for more information

7. Considerations It might only take 30 seconds to ask a question.
You need to start from where the service user is, not where you think they are or where they should be.
You need to be open minded not critical or judgemental.
Brief advice is working with the individual on their health goals. You are not lecturing them or telling them what to do.
You are providing simple, clear advice and signposting.
You can’t always tell what is going on from outward appearances. You are not expected to be a counsellor.
Considerations for trainees may be:
Time – advise trainees to work with the time they have. If there is an opportunity then use it, but if there is not the necessary privacy, the client is distressed or there are more pressing priorities then try on a different occasion.
Having strong feelings about the behaviour – their role is to remain non-judgemental, not to criticise, label or blame the service user. By being open minded you may find issues beneath the surface that you might not have considered – someone may drink heavily for example to cope with loss of a loved one. So trainees need to work with the information they have rather than subjective opinions.
The advice and signposting information is provided to you, so trainees may have their own tips but please stick to the facts when providing advice. Although relating it to your own experience may help so, for example it took me three attempts to quit smoking for good, may help motivate a relapsed smoker (if true) but they should only recommend stop smoking service support – not hypnosis or other non-evidence based programmes.
When dealing with service users their motivations to change may differ from yours, they may not concern their health at all, and providing they are strong motivators for that individual you can work with them. So if someone wants to eat a healthier diet to lose a dress size it might provide an opportunity to introduce the idea of also increasing physical exercise to improve their chances of success. Finding out whether it is for a specific event can help address issues such as whether they want to maintain the behaviour change, is it to fit into a wedding dress – what happens after the wedding?

8. We can’t do it without you
Start Making Every Contact Count today! Further training: There are options to take the training further such as Alcohol IBA training, Smoking Brief Advice and stop smoking service level 2 training. On-going support: If you have any questions that arise following today’s training or want to feedback thoughts or experiences please contact us by: calling or ing
Thank attendees.
Please explain that there are further training options and support available please ask them to contact Sarah Banfield at NHS Bedfordshire for more information or call

9. Feedback Well received
Bite size information and pocket guide were useful
People understood and accepted the principle
Most questioning was around specific components

10. Moving forwards