Community Led Health CLDMS Conference - 29 th & 30 th October 2015

About Community Health Exchange – CHEX Started in 2000 Part of Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) Funding from NHS Health Scotland to deliver a strategic & operational plan Functions: Bridge between c-l health orgs. & national decision makers on health related policies Practice development – share & scaling up good practice Training – ‘Health Issues in the Community’ Networks & Networking – national and local e.g. Renfrewshire Community Health & Wellbeing Network Maintain & expand searchable database of community-led health orgs. Information provision – CHEX-POINT Snippets e-bulletin, CHEX-POINT Newsletter, briefings, website

Why work with communities? Rationale for working with communities Increase democracy – participation is a basic right and essential element of citizenship Increase social capital by ensuring people have a voice & build social connections and social networks Empower individuals and communities that enable more control over their lives Assist decision-making and co-design more effective and targeted public services Ensure community ownership and long-term sustainability of work programmes

What does this mean for public health and health services Better mental health improvement & wellbeing Better physical health Stronger relationships between community members and health professionals Joint solutions to complex health problems Pioneering work between health professionals and community members Long term sustainability of better health outcomes

Understanding of community-led health Community-led health ways of working often have been poorly understood and existed on the margins of mainstream services, which has been largely dominated by professionally-led solutions

What is community-led health & its real value An approach to improving health that supports communities experiencing disadvantage and poor health outcomes to:  identify and define what is important to them about their health  identify the factors that impact on wellbeing  take the lead in identifying and implementing solutions

Community-led health – Logic Model

Examples Mearns Healthy Living Network - Aberdeenshire Burnfoot Community Hub, Scottish Borders ‘Health Issues in the Community’ (HIIC)

Outcomes at different levels Individual Increased knowledge, awareness, skills, capabilities Behaviour change – healthy lifestyles, reduction of health-harming behaviour Social relationships, social support Wellbeing & quality of life Improved health – mental & physical Personal development – life skills, employment, education

Outcomes at different levels Community level Social capital, social networks, community cohesion, sense of belonging Community resilience Change in physical, social and economic environment Increased community resources – including funding

Outcomes at different levels Organisational Public health intelligence Change in policy Re-designed services Service reach, uptake of screening and preventative services Improved access to health and care services, appropriate use of services, cultural relevant services

Compiling & using evidence Strength Evaluations, case studies, research, stories Increased effective use of evidence into practice & to influence policy Weakness Not in any one place Many small community groups operate under the radar Type of evidence remains a contested area

Policy Landscape – not just permission, but positive drivers for change Reforming Public Services (Christie) Integration of Health & Social Care NHS Scotland 20:20 Vision Route Map Community Empowerment Scotland Bill A Fairer, Healthier Scotland (NHS Health Scotland’s Corporate Plan) Inequalities Action Group Public Health Review

Doing it well?  CPPs & HSCP – creating the conditions for a positive environment to support community-led health  Willingness to prioritise community-led health  Strategic conversations & decisions  Shift in emphasis & resources  Skilled interventions  Who do you need as partners for delivery – national and local  Reporting on delivery & building & using evidence of impact

Capacity building with public sector services Community-led Health Competencies Know and understand the community in which we work Build and support groups and relationships Build capacity to take action on priority health issues Build equality and tackle inequalities Develop and support collaborative working Develop and support sustainable community influence Community-led Health for All: Learning Resource

Thank-You from the CHEX Team