News from our Network
Our work with practices is all about supporting them to develop the skills and mindset necessary to develop and embed Collaborative Practice; at the point our ‘hands on’ support draws to a close they are usually beginning to see the impact on patients of the new services. However, the full benefits of Collaborative Practice are usually realised over time, as their achievements expand and flourish as this way of working becomes integral to their model of care.
This means we love to keep in touch with practices and hear ‘what happened next’. At our recent quarterly Collaborative Practice network for our ‘alumni’ of practices, we heard some fabulous stories of what’s been happening lately and we couldn’t resist sharing a few highlights and some of their inspiring photos!
Jackie Monckton, social prescriber at the Blackmore Vale Partnership in Dorset, where they’ve been developing Collaborative Practice since 2021, talked about how the work is spreading across their sites. A new Health Hub has started at Abbey View in Shaftesbury where, since January, their champions have supported over 600 patients. Jackie described the champions as “amazing, really proactive” and building on this success they’re expanding the health hub to their Sturminster site, launching in Carers Week.
Gemma Ramsey, from Vine Medical Group in Hampshire, spoke of her pride in their long-established groups and activities including health talks, walks and a monthly men’s group. Champions run a Friday craft club and Gemma described how “friendships have formed, people are less isolated and tell us that they feel better connected to the community”. More excitement is afoot with the imminent launch of a new Veterans Group and an SEN Family Support Group to support and connect families with neurodiverse children.
“Friendships have formed, people are less isolated and they tell us that they feel better connected to the community.”
Sara Stringer from Blandford Group Practice in Dorset where she’s Social Prescribing and Wellbeing Manager, spoke about the Wellness Walking Clinics, open to anybody in the community. Supported by their health care assistant, free health checks are offered and other health information is available. We all know how important peer support is for people experiencing challenges in their lives and one of the champions at Blandford, who has lived with prostate cancer for a number of years, runs information sessions for other people going through the same experience.
Vicky Russell Neale, Blandford’s Ageing Well and Learning Disabilities Coordinator, has set up the first fishing group we’ve come across! Vicky persuaded the local fishing lakes to offer a discounted rate, an enthusiastic health champion stepped forward to lead the activity and two sessions so far have been really well attended with more planned.
Tasmine Bartram, young person’s SPLW, shared her work on a new care leaver’s pilot project at Blandford, which will provide a package of care to children leaving care and give them a named person in the surgery to provide continuity at a time when all continuity has gone.
Dr Sarah Flindall described being “blown away” by a session they ran at East Norfolk Medical Practice with patients who were going through the menopause.
Natalie McKenzie, HR Manager at Waterside PCN on the south coast, who’s been working with champions over the past year, described “seeing how motivated champions are, not just within the scope of the work they’re doing but they’ve developed friendships, they meet up at other times, the benefits have been as great for them as for the patients we’re trying to bring these services to.” Natalie shared that they’ve created a new role with a primary focus on Collaborative Practice because “there’s so much to do, and so much more scope for what we want to do, I’m really proud that we’re bringing in dedicated resource to elevate us and bring us to the next level”. You can view the fantastic work of the team of champions at their very own website.
If you’d like to find out more about how we can work with you to develop Collaborative Practice, get in touch at altogether.better@swyt.nhs.uk.