Trecina Allen

Health Improvement Programme Manager

Biography: Trecina has a diverse professional background delivering targeted population health initiatives in the healthcare, local authority and community sectors. Achieving a BSc in Psychology and Health Studies in 2004, Trecina began her career supporting children and young people, and subsequently in forensic mental health services in London. Trecina has experience working on high profile multi-disciplinary Serious Case Reviews in Children’s Safeguarding; and went onto delivering health equity programmes including employability and physical activity. In 2019, Trecina was appointed at ChelWest under the former Public Health team; and as Health Improvement Programme Manager, leads on the portfolio of workstreams, including NHSE Tobacco Control Plan; and paediatric Oral Health. Trecina is the Deputy Chair for the Disabled Staff Network at ChelWest, and advocates on behalf of staff members who identify as disabled or a chronic long-term health condition. Trecina has a young son, and 3 cats. She champions causes which promote sustainable living and community connectivity.

Horizon Fellowship project summary: “Health literacy is about people having the knowledge, skills, understanding and confidence that they need to be able to use healthcare information and services.” We know that patients tend to remember and understand less than half of the information that they receive (Laws et al., 2018). Harnessing Health Literacy into BAU would curb duplication and foster a culture of accurate preventative health messaging, prognosis and treatment steps at every encounter with patients and their families/households – thus Making Every Contact Count. Ultimately, patients who understand their health care information, are likely to have better health outcomes. And long-term, reduce admissions, reduce bed-days, etc. that the Trust can re-invest into ongoing preventative health services.

Estimated number of patients / staff impacted by the project: 10,000+

Goal(s) for time on the Horizon Fellowship programme: • Roll-out Health Literacy training in Discharge Ready Unit

• Explore innovative components, e.g. digital

• Incorporate patient involvement

• PDSA cycle, audit and evaluate with learning

• Align to the Trust’s Accessible Information Standard

• Align to the EDS22 and Quality Plan

• Provide leverage to the Women’s Health workstream