Community strategy to improve health care in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire ‘starting to have an effect’

The aim of the ‘Think Communities’ approach is to unite key public sector organisations behind a common set of goals and priorities which support the development of communities.

These in turn then support the delivery of better health, social, educational and neighbourhood outcomes and through better early intervention reduce the demand on statutory services, thereby saving huge sums of otherwise wasted council resources.

Sarah Ferguson, assistant director for housing, communities and youth at Peterborough City Council introduced an updated report on the way that public sector bodies across the county are seeking to bring together a combined approach to develop community resilience.

Speaking to members of the Health and Wellbeing Board, she said: “The principles of the ‘Think Communities’ are now firmly established and we have to take these and bring the public on board with us to build a network of volunteers.

“A significant effort was put into securing the hearts and minds of our colleagues across the public sector.

“What is now required is a focus of a similar nature aimed at the public to ensure that they are aware of what resources we have available to us to help them in ways that may not be familiar to them, but would otherwise put enormous demands on statutory services such as the NHS.

“In reality what this means is drilling down to find the top five things that a community should be looking to put their efforts into.

“These include living in an area with a good community spirit, having enjoyable activities for all to undertake avoiding loneliness, to engage in activities for children and young people who can be safe and cared for, to live in a clean, green area free of rubbish, and to feel that as an individual you can play a real role as part of a community, with genuine value put upon the input you provide.”

Cllr Irene Walsh, cabinet member for communities, added: “In recent weeks our ‘Think Communities’ network teams have been working very closely with the agreed Primary Care Network (PCN) areas which represent a collection of GPs practices who have agreed to work together as part of the new NHS England strategy defining a mutually agreed set of service delivery areas that are both sensible and effective.

“Bringing an initiative such as ‘Think Communities’ to a doctor’s surgery is not always the easiest of things to do, but GPs have access to their neighbourhoods needs and through working with them we can target a neighbourhoods most vulnerable people, and help them.”

Board members thanked the ‘Think Communities’ team leaders for the work they have achieved up to now and looked forward to their next report in June.

Robert Alexander, Local Democracy Reporting Service