ICB tour shows power of connectivity and community in action in South Notts

In late January, front line health and social care staff in South Nottinghamshire hosted visits from the Chair and Chief Executive of the Integrated Care Board, Dr Kathy McLean and Amanda Sullivan, alongside Deputy Director of Public Health for Nottinghamshire County Council, Vivienne Robbins.

The tour highlighted the positive outcomes for people who interact with community hubs and experience the benefits of multi-disciplinary team-working. The themes which stood out were the importance of people feeling connected within their community, the role community assets play in this and the need to ensure they are enhanced, and how we can use collective resources to best effect for the health and wellbeing of local people.

Over the course of the morning Kathy, Amanda and Vivienne visited two sites, The Core Centre at Calverton and the base of Primary Integrated Community Services (PICS).

Sam and Becky, from the Core Centre’s project management team, offered a tour of the charity-run community facility before Ebele Omo-Bamawo, Community Development Co-ordinator based at Gedling Borough Council and the South Nottinghamshire Place-Based Partnership lead for community development, demonstrated how the support of voluntary groups contributes to the health and wellbeing of local people, and how they join up with social prescribers and GPs.

Mary Wilkins, from the Gedling Ageing Well Social Care Team, then delivered a presentation on strengths-based working taking place at innovation sites across Synergy and Arrow Primary Care Networks (PCNs). This approach focuses on what people do well instead of what they can’t do. It also helps individuals connect people with their community and is being delivered by Social Care Teams across Nottinghamshire.

Following Mary’s presentation, Nicky Render from PICS hosted a huddle between the Nottingham West Primary Care Network Care Navigation team and the Social Care team working in Broxtowe, with Amanda and Kathy sitting in to observe the support that was provided for people experiencing a number of challenges, including severe multiple disadvantage.

Kathy said: “It’s really helpful to listen to those delivering or co-ordinating care. Fascinating to consider the potential here.”

Amanda added: “I found it very interesting, insightful and inspiring to see how people are working together to enhance the lives of people who live in South Nottinghamshire.” And Vivienne reflected that she was struck by: “The wealth of knowledge and commitment to the local populations the staff served.”

Helen Smith, Programme Director for the South Nottinghamshire Place Based Partnership said: “I was delighted that Amanda, Kathy and Vivienne were able to get out and meet colleagues working across South Notts and see the passion they bring to their work.

“They were able to see the real impact that community-based approaches can have on people’s health and wellbeing, something our partnership is strongly committed to, and the integrated working to support the people experiencing more challenges.

“We feel the next steps could be to measure the impact of community-centred approaches to demonstrate the huge value they play in keeping people mentally and physically well, and then explore how to attract funding to continue to build on this.”

More about the Core Centre: About – COREnew2021 (calvertoncore.org.uk)

More about Community Development in South Notts: Introducing Ebele Omo-Bamawo, PBP Community Development Lead

More about the PICS Care Navigation team: Care Co-ordination | Primary Integrated Community Services (PICS) (picsnhs.org.uk)