ALL of us would like to spend less time frowning and more time smiling, but is NHS Oxfordshire really going the right way about making it happen?

The care trust’s latest advertising campaign has had a mixed reaction.

It has targeted four estates in the county with posters and postcards, and has used a cartoon frown and a smile to encourage people to improve their mental health by sharing their problems and getting more active.

Nobody could argue with the trust’s motives, but do we not already know these are the best ways of staving off depression?

By targeting certain areas and using a simplistic campaign, the health officials have also risked alienating people.

They may have less money and poorer diets in the areas picked out, but are they really any less happy than everyone else?

Many of those living on the estates would argue they have a much better community spirit than those in more affluent areas in the county.

Perhaps the trust should target the county as a whole, rather than just a selection of areas.