WORK to tackle serious health inequalities in East Lancashire has received a blow after it was confirmed that a £900,000 scheme is to be scrapped with the loss of up to 20 jobs.

East Lancashire Health Improvement Service (EHIS) aims to spread vital lifestyle messages in community settings and has employed between 15 and 20 people in recent times.

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Lancashire County Council has confirmed that the contract will cease from next April, with no announcement made yet of possible replacement provisions by the authority.

Similar functions elsewhere in the county were taken over by Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust in 2010 but East Lancashire’s remained as a standalone offering.

Three options had been debated for EHIS, ranging from an outright closure to training other agencies to carry out the role, which would save £700,000, or bringing the whole operation in-house, with no cash recouped.

After consideration of each alternatives pros and cons, Councillor Azhar Ali, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, decided that the service should be axed from next April.

Dianne Gardner, the county council’s health equity, welfare and partnerships manager, said in a report that the decision would “ensure maximum savings” while enabling the authority to develop exit strategies to reduce the impact on staff and partners.

The review for health improvement services had been ongoing since June 2014.

She said: “This decommissioning is part of, and integral to, the re-commissioning of the public health improvement services.”

County councillors have been told that any future model for health improvement services needed to be county-wide.

Examples of best practice from EHIS would be taken forward, especially their ties with the children and families partnership team.