Get Started with Healthy Shetland

Partnership working to improve health outcomes

‘Get Started with Healthy Shetland’ is a population wide healthy lifestyle programme bespoke to Shetland delivered by NHS Shetland in partnership with Shetland Recreational Trust (SRT). The focus is on improving a wide range of health aspects such as: diet, activity, weight, sleep, and mood. Still in a pilot phase, the aim is to provide a local targeted lifestyle weight management service which also offers physical activity. 

NHS Shetland provided training to SRT staff members who deliver Healthy Shetland. SRT provide use of their facilities and free membership for 4 months to individuals taking part, removing the barrier of cost for participants. 

Traditional Counterweight (weight management programmes) run by the NHS have been reported as useful, but, feedback showed that it would be useful to include how to support patients with emotional and comfort eating behaviours. The Healthy Shetland programme therefore included this. Anticipated impact of the programme includes: weight loss; improved mood; improved health outcomes; improved social relationships; and increased physical activity levels.

The programme will be evaluated and feedback will help inform future development of the project. Response has been positive, with a lower dropout rate than previous programmes. Some positive health changes have been made so far:

“I attend the gym and get out more. I’m more conscious of checking food labels before buying items for the whole family. I’m encouraging my young son to take part in some form of physical play to make it a normal part of his life.”

“I am more aware of what level of hunger I am at... I am confident – this is because my mental health improves when I do more physical activity.”

This programme links to our ‘People’ and ‘Money’ priorities, with people being empowered to address to the issues they face, increasing physical activity, and cost not being a barrier.