It’s Self Care Week

Self Care Week: Choose Self Care for Life

It’s Self Care Week and we are hoping to reach as many people as possible to raise awareness about how we can better look after our own physical health and mental wellbeing, and that of our family members.   It’s about choosing Self Care for Life by thinking about the small changes we can make to be more healthy;  whether it’s about choosing to take the stairs rather than the lift, starting the day with a healthy breakfast and deciding not to work through our lunch break.  It’s also about being able to self-treat short term conditions when they strike such as sore throats, coughs, colds and about safely managing long term conditions.  Self Care Week reminds us how we can incorporate more positive health behaviours in our life to help us live as healthily as possible.

Health Minister Steve Brine supports the Week:

“We all have a personal responsibility to look after our own health and Self Care Week is an opportunity to recognise the benefits that simple activities like walking, gardening and arts activities can bring in maintaining our wellbeing and keeping us active.

“Community pharmacists can also be key in preventing illness and where possible we should utilise their wealth of knowledge to treat minor ailments.”

National Self-Care Week

National Self-Care Week

18 - 24 November 2024

Mind & Body

What is National Self-Care Week?

  • Self-Care Week is an annual national awareness week that focuses on embedding support for self-care across communities, families and generations.
  • The theme  is “Mind & Body”
  • The Self Care Forum has been organising Self-Care Week since 2011

Who gets involved in Self-Care Week?

  • International, national, regional, local and community organisations passionate about empowering people to better look after their own physical health and mental wellbeing get involved in Self-Care Week
  • Mostly traditional health organisations use the Week to communicate health messages to their audiences but a growing, diverse community is recognising the benefits of participating in Self-Care Week
  • In 2023, around 1000 organisations and individuals used the awareness week to empower their audiences, reaching millions in the UK.

What messages can you promote during Self-Care Week?

  • A range of health messages can be communicated during Self-Care Week including:
    • taking vitamin D supplements, particularly important for those shielding and unable to go outside
    • good nutrition and regular exercise to support general wellbeing and help maximize people’s immunity
    • adopting positive lifestyle choices
    • increasing health literacy levels in the community and in schools
    • supporting mental wellness by keeping connected, ensuring a sense of perspective, and taking further steps to maintain health
    • understanding how to manage minor and long term health conditions
  • In addition, Self-Care Week provides an opportunity to promote better use of the NHS by signposting people to the right service relevant to their health needs – in particular, signposting people to pharmacy for accessible health care and advice.
  • The Week can also be used to highlight the the need for vaccinations and screening.  

Where should I start?

  • The Self Care Forum has resources to help you plan for Self-Care Week such as our 8 point plan and comms plan, we also have best practice case studies, posters and of course the Self-Care Week icon to help brand your activities. 
  • You could also subscribe to our newsletter for updates on Self-Care Week and all things self-care.
  • Or, for more information contact selfcare@selfcareforum.org.

For news on what happened during previous Self-Care Week’s see the Self-Care Week Reviews. 

Corporate Sponsorship Opportunities

Corporate packages are available to sponsors wishing to strengthen their self-care campaigns by collaborating with the Self Care Forum.  National Self-Care Week is a perfect time to promote sponsors’ particular self-care messages. To discuss a possible collaboration please contact Libby Whittaker.