At CHP we aim to put our buildings at the heart of the communities we serve and since the launch of our Buildings at the Heart of the Community initiative in November 2021, we have seen a huge number of activities take place across our sites, with our operational teams on the ground working hard with tenants and communities to deliver local initiatives.
In the last 12 months alone we saw an incredible 22k community based events take place across our estate, a massive increase on the 3k seen in the previous year.
The Social Value generated by these community initiatives showed a five fold increase on the previous year – rising from £279k to an incredible £1.3m.
We have continued to measure our Social Value using the National TOMs Framework and in our 2nd year we saw our Social & Local Economic Value rise by an incredible 52%, from £25m in our inaugural year to £38.5m as we continue to reach beyond the walls of our buildings and into the communities we serve.
The figures have been independently verified by Social Value Portal and some of the activities that contributed to this total are:-
- Buildings @ The Heart of the Community – £1.3m delivered as a result of health awareness days, community events, community gardens and artwork installations.
- AccessAble – £169k social value delivered as a result of improving accessibility in our sites as we strive to make our centres more inclusive for all.
- Local Employment – £37m – local employment is a key element in social value as this boosts growth, reduces poverty and increases social cohesion in the local community – all important aspects in putting our buildings at the heart of the community.
Here are some fantastic examples of our Buildings @ The Heart of the Community events.
CHP supports warm room for patients at Birmingham site
Community Health Partnerships worked with tenants and partners over the winter months to help provide warmth and safety for communities struggling with the continued increase in the cost of living.
Buildings were opened to support those in need after the festive period. CHP buildings offer more services alongside the traditional facilities for primary healthcare and many include cafes areas, libraries and various large group rooms.
At Sparkhill Primary Care Centre, Birmingham, a “warm room” was created in void café space where patients from the three surgeries operating out of the building could attend a drop in session and enjoy a heated room, a tea and coffee as well as a cup of soup.
Chandler House Walk & Talk Group
With the arrival of Spring and the promise of more outdoor activities, patients at Chandler House recently participated in their first Walk and Talk friendship session. The group gathered at Chandler House before embarking on a walk around Scotman’s Flash Lake. Afterward, they returned to the centre for refreshments and a chat.
ORM ,Cath Lewis, facilitated the event in partnership with Marus Bridge GP Practice.
These events showcase how we can bring people together and put our centres at the heart of the community.
Kentish Town – Action for Children Training
Action for Children, a UK-based charity organisation, held the first of a series of volunteer training programs at Kentish Town Health Centre in February. The aim of the training is to equip volunteers with the necessary skills to support children and young people to live a safe and happy childhood.
The training program focused on two key areas, namely the London Advocacy Service and London Independent Visitors. The first session was held on February 19th, with over 40 volunteers in attendance. Further sessions are planned for May, August, and November 2023.
Thornbury Health and Wellbeing Event
On February 16th, 2023, Thornbury Medical Centre hosted a Health and Wellbeing event.
Numerous services were in attendance to provide advice on social prescribing, ranging from healthy lifestyle tips to information about local warm spaces. The event received positive feedback from attendees, and patients benefited from the guidance provided.
Social Prescribers at Rainham Healthy Living Centre
Imago recognise that many things can affect someone’s health and wellbeing; such as loneliness, stress, money or relationship problems. Sometimes it could be the stress of managing different long-term conditions and this is where Social Prescribing can help.
The Social Prescribers are well equipped to signpost people to community groups that may help them, things like finding a new activity or a local club such as a gardening club, a fishing group, a ‘men’s shed’ or knit and natter group to help combat loneliness. They can also help people find legal advice, debt counselling or just provide information and guidance on what local resources there are in the area.
Community Garden Projects
Throughout the year we created several community gardens to support the GPs social prescribing agenda.
Sites including Mere Lane Neighbourhood Health Centre (pictured), Foxhill Medical Centre and The Energise Centre, all saw garden projects take shape. Mere Lane now has a fantastic edible sensory garden for instance.
Statistics show that one in four people per year in England experience a mental health problem of some kind, according to Mind. This information shows how important a role our gardening projects can play in helping people to focus on a philanthropic hobby.
AccessAble
We were delighted to see CHP’s work on the AccessAble project recognised at the Government Property Awards 2022, with project lead Simon Waters awarded the Judges Choice Award.
The awards ceremony, which took place in London on 11 October 2022, brought together colleagues from across central government departments and their associated organisations and recognised individuals and team efforts from across the industry with a range of award categories.
The AccessAble project is something close to Simon’s heart in championing inclusivity issues across the public health estate. Simon’s drive and passion to make CHP’s facilities accessible to everyone played a vital role in its successful implementation. As a result, all of CHP’s sites, accounting for 5% of the NHS property portfolio, now offer a free Access Guide available on CHP’s website.
AccessAble Video
In February we were thrilled to once again partner with AccessAble to create a new video entitled ‘Bringing the Detailed Access Guides to Life’ – this video demonstrates how the guides are put to use in real life and the difference they make to an individual who may require additional support.
In collaboration with three Disability Ambassadors, the new film highlights the benefits of the Detailed Access Guides and how they have made a positive impact on their journey to visit one of CHP’s health centres. The film illustrates how they have helped the Ambassadors to plan ahead for their journey and retain their independence.
Further AccessAble Enchancements in CHP buildings
Over the past 12 months, the Property and Operations Team at CHP have been working with their LIFTCos to enhance accessibility at their sites.
Using the AccessAble Best Practice Guides as a reference, the team has focused on improving the experience for less able visitors.
The efforts have resulted in enhancements being made to the value of £169k.
In March 2023, 68 new easy chairs, with high backs and arms, were delivered to CHP’s sites, significantly improving the breastfeeding experience for new mums and creating a more welcoming environment within the parent and baby rooms.
As we move into the new financial year we will continue to work through the Best Practice Guides, making changes where we can. We are also working collaboratively with all our LIFTCos to explain the Best Practice Guides and the importance of building accessibility into the Lifecycle plans. This collaboration will continue to ensure that accessibility is at the forefront of every refurbishment project to help create buildings where everyone has equal access.
CHP believes that its buildings should be at the heart of the communities it serves and freely accessible to all, regardless of an individual’s circumstance.
If you would like to contact us please email us at this address communityspaces@communityhealthpartnerships.co.uk to start the conversation.
Find out more Buildings at the Heart of the Community
CHP’s Buildings at the Heart of the Community initiative aims to encourage local community groups and charities to make the most of our buildings by enabling the use of space in our centres to host health and wellbeing related events.
