This document provides an overview of an orientation session on Making Every Contact Count (MECC). The session aims to provide staff with information on the MECC toolkit and principles, identify opportunities to promote health and wellbeing to clients, and produce a vision statement for health promotion. Staff will learn about the economic and personal benefits of self-care approaches and prevention of poor health. The session also discusses creating a culture of health promotion across organizations to improve outcomes and reduce health inequalities.

1. Making Every Contact Count
Orientation Session
<Insert session facilitator
name and date>
Developed by Tony Connell Learning and Development Consultant and the East Midlands Health Trainer Hub,
hosted by NHS Derbyshire County

2. Learning Outcomes
• By the end of the session staff will:
• Be provided with an overview of the MECC Toolkit
• Understand the economic and personal value of
self care
• Be aware of the underpinning principles of MECC
• Have identified points of client contact where they
could be provided with health improvement
information
• Have produced a ‘vision statement’ on providing
health promotion messages
• Identify any outstanding information needs.

3. Future forum summary report
‘…every contact must
count as an opportunity
to maintain, and where
possible, improve their
mental and physical
health and wellbeing’
‘…preventing poor health
and promoting healthy
living is essential to
reduce health
inequalities and sustain
the NHS for future
generations’.

4. Why do we work here?
What is our purpose of our
role in this organisation?

5. Pre session survey
How much of an opportunity do you think you have to promote health and wellbeing with
patients/clients you come into contact with?
1 = no opportunity 2 = rarely 3 = sometimes 4 = most of the time 5 = always

6. The Midlands and East needs to change
• 19% - 25% of the population smoke
• 15% - 18% drinking at increasing risk and;
• 4% - 6% drinking at high risk levels
• 61% of men do not meet recommended Physical
Activity levels
• 71% of women do not meet recommended
Physical Activity levels
• 22% - 26% of men are obese
• 24% - 28% of women are obese
• 75% of men and 71% of women do not eat 5 a day

7. The value of self-care and
preventative approaches to ill health
• 70% of the health demands made on the NHS
are preventable
• 90% of illness and injury is self treated
• 90% of NHS interventions are primary care
• 1% of all illnesses and injuries require hospital
care.
G Lister 2008

8. Benefits of MECC
For staff For the organisation
• Improved and quicker • Increased staff knowledge
outcomes from treatment and competence
e.g. wounds healing • Improved service quality as
• Staff have greater more engaged staff
ownership of lifestyle • Links to QIPP and other
change national and regional
• Develop a sense of self- strategies
efficacy through educating • Direct cost savings
the public • Less staff sick days through
• Satisfaction in improving improved health.
overall outcomes for the
patient. As a result of the initiative and the success of the pilot,
‘After the presentation on Behaviour Change, we have embedded it within our physical activity
provision. We have improved relationships with partner
I decided that I seriously needed to lose organisations and are continuing to offer a consistent
weight. I have joined Weight Watchers and approach to improving lifestyles
feel really positive about that’

9. Benefits to service users
• Better health and wellbeing, quicker treatment
outcomes
• Personal, tailored support in making positive
change
• Getting better and feeling better
• Increased confidence and motivation
• Contribution to the reduction of health
inequalities.

10. MECC: a definition
• There is a need for a culture change
amongst organisations towards
prevention, to bring the promotion of
mental and physical health and wellbeing
into the mainstream – doing this has
become known as MECC
• Frontline staff should be trained to raise
healthy lifestyle issues opportunistically.
This is often known as Brief advice which
is less in depth and more informal than a
brief intervention. It involves giving
information about the importance of
behaviour change and simple advice and
sign posting to appropriate lifestyle
services for support.

11. What does MECC mean to you
MECC means making the best of every
opportunity to raise the issue of health
behaviours, give facts and dispel myths
Staff member’s role is to respond to the
health needs of the client by providing
appropriate information on where to go for
further advice or support.

12. Discussion
A whole systems approach:
- to help support a consistent
approach to improving lifestyles
- to support the workforce to influence positive
lifestyle behaviour choices
- which is based on ‘making every contact count’
- Individual and organisational components which
focuses on ensuring equity of access to health
services and equity of health outcomes.

13. Questions that need answers
• How much do we do this
already?
• Where do we want to be?
• Any worries or things that
will stop us?

14. Summary
• Aim
• Piloted
• Flexible
• Step by step guide to implement
• Tools
• Training and workshop slides
• What next!

15. Post session survey
How much of an opportunity do you think you have to promote health and wellbeing with
patients/clients you come into contact with?
1 = no opportunity 2 = rarely 3 = sometimes 4 = most of the time 5 = always

16. Quotes
We amended the Active Together registration form which has enabled
QUOTES
many participants to access a wider range of information and services
in supporting them to lead healthy and active lifestyles.’
After the presentation on Behaviour Change, I decided that I seriously
‘ needed to lose weight. I have joined Weight Watchers and feel really
‘ positive about that’
Using a team approach to training provided a chance for managers to
know where their teams are at in terms of confidence and explore
that… any individualised development work can then take place’
One nurse felt that it was her duty to inform her patient that they were
overweight. Another nurse, felt that this was being rude and too
intrusive. Together they then discussed different methods of
communicating this information in a way which was supportive to the
patient instead of dictorial’

17. Contact:

18. Reproduction of materials
These materials may be reproduced for educational or training
purposes.
Tony Connell, Learning and Development Consultant and the East
Midlands Health Trainer Hub should be acknowledged.