100 likes | 233 Views
Gateshead Healthy Communities Collaborative 6 Healthy years together. What is it?. 8 teams in Gateshead Membership is important H ealth - GP practice staff, health visitors, community nutritional assistants cancer screening staff, |Community matrons
E N D
Gateshead Healthy Communities Collaborative6 Healthy years together
What is it? 8 teams in Gateshead Membership is important Health - GP practice staff, health visitors, community nutritional assistants cancer screening staff, |Community matrons Local authority – neighbourhood management, housing wardens, community centre workers, Librarians voluntary sector eg Age Concern, Alzheimer's society Local residents “not the usual suspects”
History Started as a pilot project funded by DH Managed by the NPDT (now Improvement Foundation) 2002 Falls prevention older people 2004 Improving access to a healthy and affordable diet 2007 Promoting the earlier detection of breast, bowel and lung cancers 5 teams expanded to 8 in 2005 Now locally financed £30,000 2008/9
Collaborative Methodology • Reference panel • Orientation to recruit teams and importance to local health • Learning workshops and action periods • Identify local issues – use Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) methodology to bring about improvements • Share learning
What’s easy • Great mix of people – different work • Keeping team members • Understanding need and identifying local issues • Inter-agency working at a community level. • Everyone know someone who can help • Sustainability – written PDSAs provide evidence ►further funding & learning culture • People living in a area have long memories
Challenges Who are lay people? Getting health professionals involved Language Bureaucracy Organisational management – priorities and pressures Managing expectations – of team members - funders Evaluation – evidence for what works
What it needs to make it work • OK to fail- small scale testing • Ideas from the team • Established and agreed way of working • Coming together to share learning • Gives people confidence- work recognised by others • Good steering group - people who can make things happen • Lay understanding and explanations • Able to get to people not accessing services • Involve people from the beginning not just consultation • Recognition
How can the government support this work • More HCCs effective format • Lay involvement (not consultation) a “must do” • Ensure funding for community groups • Inclusion in training of health professionals • Show and tell to give people ideas.
Examples I • Superman play • Vegetable of the month • Fruit in Childrens’ Centres • Lunch clubs older people & parents/toddlers linked to food co-op deliveries • Drama groups – healthy eating and safe drinking • Local events
Examples II • Environmental issues • Building links across communities consultation • Its not just the message its how its delivered