UKIHCA – Towards a Healthier, Happier Britain: The Case for Health Coaching
26th Feb, 2024
The UK & International Health Coaching Association’s White Paper with Foreword by Lord James
Britain is facing a health challenge of un-paralleled proportions.
A tsunami of recent reports, publications and commentaries highlight the issues and make recommendations on what needs to be done to address the failing health of our population and the challenges faced for 21st century healthcare
The UK & International Health Coaching Association, as the first and leading professional, non-profit body for health coaching in the world, are deeply concerned that Britain is missing a solution that could make a huge difference in turning the tide on chronic disease. We know you will be as concerned as we are.
To coin a phrase… “Healthcare, we have a problem!”
And we submit that health coaching is one powerful solution.
Health coaching is a powerful – and strongly evidence-based – modality and a growing professional discipline. UKIHCA-Approved health coaches now number some 800 members and health coaching has been introduced into primary care and other areas in the NHS, with 1500 Health and Wellbeing Coaches in post.
Health coaching is gaining traction in forward-thinking commercial companies in the health sector and by a growing number of companies in corporate sector workplace wellness schemes, who see health coaching as key to their successes.
Globally, the evidence-base for the efficacy of health coaching has been growing exponentially and of 1 January 2024, health coaching is available to Medicare and Medicaid users in the USA.
Making the case for health coaching in Britain
The purpose of our White Paper ‘Towards a Healthier, Happier Britain: The Case for Health Coaching’ is to take readers on a journey towards a healthier, happier Britain by setting out the case for integrating the evidence-based modality of health coaching as a foundational platform for every sector of health and human systems in a 21st Century Britain.
We strongly believe this document will be a game changer.
In ‘Towards a Healthier, Happier Britain’ we have set out fresh thinking, a strong case for the evidence-based discipline of health coaching and a comprehensive set of recommendations to position health coaching as powerful non-clinical intervention for individual and population health improvement and a foundational pillar for the start of every individual’s health care journey.
With a Foreword by Lord James Bethell (A Covenant for Health), an active member of the House of Lords and a huge advocate for preventive, proactive health and care, we align with national health agencies to submit the case for:
• Delivering a whole health and person-centred focused healthcare which considers individual needs and provides an integrated care approach.
• Driving a sustainable and personalised healthcare of the future which addresses health inequalities in access to care.
• Value-adding healthcare, by investing in prevention and health promotion, both being cost-effective approaches with positive long-term outcomes for individuals and populations.
How can YOU help us?
UKIHCA has been promoting the White Paper since its release on 23 November and you can actively participate in championing and promoting ‘Towards a Healthier, Happier Britain: The Case for Health Coaching’.
1. You can help us by forwarding this email to your networks, clients and contacts
2. You can help us by ‘getting social’
• Following us on all social media channels (see the links at foot of this email)
• Liking, commenting and sharing our posts
3. You can review the UKIHCA Briefing Webinar which walks you through the key points of the White Paper (and share this link with colleagues and counterparts).
The time for health coaching to be mainstreamed is NOW!
When we think of the process of health coaching, we think of listening, reflecting, facilitating, collaborating, integrating and co-creating for sustainable change and health creation.
These are processes which will be critical if we are to help people modify their lifestyles and change behaviours, to achieve the vision of a happier, healthier and more productive Britain.
“We need to pivot. And to do this we have to step outside the institutions and start in homes, communities and workplaces where health is created. These cannot be conversations that start with questions about how to fix this service or harness the public to an NHS agenda.
Rather these need to be open conversations, a radical listening to everyday reality – about wellness and how to sustain it, about how we are living now and how can we create the support and conditions for collective flourishing.”
– Hilary Cottam, The King’s Fund
Surely there can be no better time to step out of professional silos and use our skills to work together, for better.
If you have any thoughts, ideas or other contributions on the White Paper, please reach out to me – ceo@ukihca.com.
With my warmest wishes for a healthier, happier 2024,
Izabella Natrins
CEO
UKIHCA