Modern day living is busy so to help people find time to think about their health, One You, with the help of Dr Hilary, is taking to a bus stop in Trinity Street, Coventry, to ask people how they really are. This is one of nine state-of-the-art interactive bus stops which are now live across England as part of Public Health England’s (PHE’s) One You campaign, to encourage adults to make simple changes to improve their health.
One You is the first ever nationwide campaign to address preventable death and disease in adults caused by modern day life. Everyday habits and behaviours – such as eating too much unhealthy food, drinking more than is recommended, smoking and not being active enough – are responsible for around 40% of all deaths in England, and cost the NHS more than £11 billion a year.
Television doctor Dr Hilary Jones stars in the digital bus stops, which is the first of its kind to provide tailored health messages. Dr Hilary asks passers-by to call him on a free phone number whilst they wait for a bus to receive information to help them improve their health. Following the call, Dr Hilary will text the caller with a link to take the free One You online health quiz, ‘How Are You’.
A new short film is being released, which sees people call the phone number and then their surprise as Dr Hilary ‘steps out’ from behind one bus stop to have a real life discussion about their health. He encourages individuals to make positive changes to improve their health now, and in the future.
Dr Hilary Jones said: “It is difficult for people to find time to prioritise their health amongst the demands of modern day life, so when better to take stock of how you are feeling than while waiting for a bus? The bus stops which can be found around the country ask people how they really are and provide them with free One You support to help them take action and improve their health.
“My patients often think that ill health in later life is inevitable, yet making small changes now can have a dramatic impact on preventing illness and improving how they feel now and in the years to come.”
One You encourages adults to take the free online ‘How Are You’ health quiz, which provides personalised recommendations and directs people to tools and advice to help them take action where it’s most needed. Almost all (93%) agreed it was important that One You offered support like this in order to help people stay healthy, and three quarters (77%) said they had already made changes because of the feedback given.
Dr Lola Abudu, Director of Health and Wellbeing at PHE West Midlands, said: “One You is the first campaign that talks to adults directly about their overall health and lifestyle. With the demands of modern work and the time it takes to look after family members it is easy to slip into an unhealthy routine. So we wanted to take One You one step further than previous campaigns by introducing innovative new technology to bus stops around the country to ask the all-important question: ‘How Are You’.
“Since the beginning of March, more than 800,000 people have taken the time to assess their health by completing the ‘How Are You’ online health quiz so we know demand is incredibly high for the free, personalised support and advice we are offering. The digital bus stops will keep this conversation going and hopefully have a positive impact on improving the nation’s health.”
The interactive bus stops are just one of the ways One You is encouraging adults to reappraise their health. For more information on the campaign and to take the quiz, search ‘One You’ online now.
