Programme Overview

The Health Bank Account © programme is designed to support and encourage employees to make healthy changes in their lifestyles.

Sustainable change does not occur when realisation, choice and commitment is made on behalf of someone by their company.

In order to make changes employees need to follow a personal process of discovery, understanding, determination, action and lastly sustainability.

Motivation is an internal state of readiness or eagerness to change.  This state can be influenced by external factors and the programme aims to influence the investment employees make in their health and wellbeing.  The workshop is educational ,  fun, practical  and motivational and is supplemented by a follow up session  and on-going peer and professional support.  Psychologists, Prochaska and DiClemente (1982), have identified a series of stages a person passes trough to employ a process of change.  The change model, which is the basis of this programme, reflects these stages.   The programme offers a range of approaches to compliment the different stages of the change process.

Health investment change model ©

Discovery

For many the entry point to investing into health and  wellbeing is characterised by little knowledge and a lack of commitment to change.  At this stage there is a need to raise awareness of the possibility of change (e.g. making an investment into health and wellbeing).  Giving prescriptive advice can be counterproductive at this point.  The Health Bank account workshop  provides an  opportunity for contemplation.  It is designed to give participants a snap short of their current investment in health and wellbeing designed on a dynamic self assessment tool ‘ the health bank account’.

Understanding

The next stage of change is characterised by ambivalence. Having had some information to consider the person both considers and rejects change.  The person is likely to go back and forth between reasons for concern and justification for unconcern.  The key here is to tip the balance in favour of change.  To  ensure commitment and long-term success , a  person needs to understand reasons to change for themselves. This requires motivational support.  The programme offers support to participants in the form of buddy groups, 1:1 coaching and the E-mail Doctor.

Determination

This stage of the change process is a real window of opportunity as a person enters into a determination to change and take action.  At this stage it is less about motivating and more about matching and signposting to help a person find the best course of action.  Any wellbeing strategy  needs to be  acceptable, accessible , appropriate and effective.  The Triad of health gives a starting point and clear focus where investment is needed.  The workshop provides a ‘market place’ to signpost people to potential areas of help and support.

Action

At this point in the change process a person enters into particular actions to help achieve the desired outcomes. The human experience is filled with many good intentions,  but we know that change can be hard and it is easy to slip back into old habits!. The programme offers a follow up session to remotivate and offer advice and support to  increase the likelihood to sustained change. This is further backed up by the E-mail Doctor and coaching. The voucher system provides and opportunity for employers to get involved in rewarding healthy lifestyle choices.

Sustainability

Participants of the programme will be encouraged to continue monthly follow-ups with the buddy groups, and checking in with the E-mail Doctor.