The path to a healthier, cohesive and inclusive nation lies in its communities. It’s time to think differently, to reshape our country by harnessing the strengths of our local populations and redefining health and wellbeing and tackling health inequalities. The conditions for enabling communities to fulfil this role do not lie only with those communities, they also depend on government support.
We know that community strengthening has enormous benefits. It can help tackle health inequalities; it can alter the social determinants of health for the better, it can improve health on an individual and collective basis. It is even a good investment with a 1:4 return!
For these reasons, building a new relationship with communities is on the wish list for many ICBs – but very few actually commit time and resources to making it happen.
The NHS needs to pivot to communities.
The policy recommendations here will create the conditions whereby ICBs and PCNs will focus on community strengthening so that it spreads everywhere. We want government to implement these recommendations.
In this paper you will find:
- The evidence base for community strengthening, including good practice
- The definition of community strengthening
- The current policy drivers, such as they are.
- Brief advice on how to implement community development in a Neighbourhood
- The recommendations themselves
- How they fit into a wider social context.
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