Gateshead Healthy Communities Collaborative6 Healthy years together

What is it?

8 teams in GatesheadMembership is important

Health - GP practice staff, health visitors,

community nutritional assistantscancer 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

involvedLanguage BureaucracyOrganisational management

– priorities and pressuresManaging expectations – of

team members

- fundersEvaluation – 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