The council share this latest news. Ed
Island Healthcare, in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council, is expanding its innovative domiciliary care service – The Hub – on the Island.
The community focused service gives residents within a small radius of three good rated care homes access to a high quality, responsive and flexible care services in their own home. Carers are encouraged to use electric bikes for their journeys between the ‘Hub’ care home and the homes of people they care for, promoting health and wellbeing, reducing local congestion and contributing to increased air quality.
Tile House, Shanklin, Westview House, Totland and Brighstone Grange, Brighstone, will all host electric bikes as part of the expansion.
Ward: “Giving people more choice”
Cabinet member for infrastructure and transport, Cllr Ian Ward, said:
“This scheme supports our long-term ambitions to give people more choice on how they travel. The scheme aims to help employees make informed choices on how they travel, encouraging more people to cycle which provides health and environmental benefits.
“Those who cycle to work have been found to take fewer sick days* and be less stressed – offering obvious benefits for employers who encourage two wheeled travel.”
Real health benefits
Island Healthcare operations director, Ian Bennett, said:
“This is an excellent way for us to reach out to the community and give more of our carers the chance to work in the community, whether they drive or not. The carers seem to enjoy using the bikes and regular exercise provides some real health benefits. We hope to demonstrate this as a viable addition to the provision of care on the Island.”
The project will replace trips which are currently undertaken by car and van with electric bike trips, reducing carbon, and improving employee health and wellbeing.
Access Fund for Sustainable Travel
Island Healthcare, in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council, is delivering this project as part of the Isle of Wight Council Access Fund for Sustainable Travel – a £1.3 million three year sustainable transport programme funded by the Department for Transport.
The Department for Transport’s (DfT) Access Fund for Sustainable Travel funding supports sustainable transport initiatives which can improve access to jobs, skills, training and education.
For more about the fund, visit the Website.
*Guidance from the National Institute of Health & Clinical Excellence (NICE) shows that on average, physical activity programmes can reduce absenteeism by 20% by helping staff to achieve recommended weekly physical activity levels, Public Health Guidance PH13 (2008).
Image: Sean B Jack under CC BY 2.0
