A CAMPAIGN to eliminate the “void” in communication between the bodies caring for public health in the South Lakes is under way.

The mission is being led by South Lakeland District Council, which held a meeting with key local health organisations to discuss developing an “overarching strategy” for the area.

Eight public health-related organisations attended the meeting at Kendal Town Hall including representatives from NHS England and the University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay Trust.

Coun Graham Vincent, SLDC portfolio holder for health and wellbeing, said there “were significant differences between the worst and the best” standards of public health in the area.

He hoped if agencies worked more together this would help “bridge these gaps”.

Helen Bailey, a senior commissioner on Cumbria’s Clinical Commissioning Group, said it was important all the health agencies in the area worked together “to do everything we possibly can to keep people healthy longer”.

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Lawrence Conway, SLDC’s chief executive, told the meeting there was a lack of co-ordination between the different health bodies in South Lakeland.

“We feel there is a void and that void is about things not being joined up,” said Mr Conway.

He said SLDC could work with other groups on issues such as housing quality, environmental health and providing leisure facilities to promote good health.

Mr Conway added: “Wouldn’t it be great if we could have some clarity for our communities and if we were able to simplify things a bit more so people could understand what we are trying to achieve. There has to be an overarching strategy we are all working on.”

The meeting agreed the most important next step was to begin to map the different public health-related agencies and how they communicated with each other and the community, as well as working on making people aware of the different services available.

It was also agreed all the local councils, from parish councils to Cumbria County Council, needed to do some “serious work” on making sure there was adequate transport available for people to access health care.

The organisations will return for another meeting to discuss progress on March 5.