Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) has long recognised the impact of social isolation on our well-being and launched a Socially Connected Strategy in June 2022. The strategy heard from people across the city on how vital social connections are, and essential in supporting someone to live well in their local community for as long as possible – a key factor of the Maximising Independence approach. Based on consultation within local communities, it also focuses on the importance of mental well-being as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic as a city. 

Fiona Moss, our HSCP’s Head of Health Improvement and Equalities, said: “We’ve all experienced isolation and loneliness and understand just how destructive this can be if sustained. The strategy highlights what’s working well within the city as well as what’s holding us back, and most importantly identifies the ways that we can work together to make thing better.”  

One of the contributors to the strategy added: “If I had a magic wand, I would like a list of lonely people like myself who lived close by who would like to form a friendship, so that we could all help each other out through the rough days.”

In the year since the strategy launched, Health Improvement has been working with others on 10 recommendations, including promoting Loneliness Awareness Week on Your Support Your Way Glasgow from 12 to 18 June. There are things we can do to help someone we know who is feeling lonely, whether it’s someone you support through work, a friend or family member, or someone who lives nearby.

One barrier to getting support can be knowing where to start when looking for help, as highlighted by a contributor who commented: “It’s probably a lack of knowledge that holds me back. I’m not always aware how I can be more part of my community.”

Our flyer and short film show some of the signs to look out for, some practical things you can do to help and sources of support. 

You can really make a difference to someone’s wellbeing just by knowing the signs to look out for and taking some small steps to make just one connection matter.