Core20plus5 Community Connectors Application
Background
Following the learning from the Covid Champion work where members of the community helped to increase vaccine uptake in seldom heard communities, NHS England (NHSE) are asking each Integrated Care System (ICS) to consider using Community Connector roles to help reduce health inequalities among Core20Plus5 groups.
NHSE have allocated funding to each ICS to help tackle health inequalities. Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes ICS have agreed to invest £300k in Community Connectors to help deliver on the Core20Plus5 priorities as seen below.
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Core20 |
PLUS |
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Tackle health inequalities in: Still birth Infant Mortality Neonatal mortality Maternal mortality |
Improve Healthy Life Expectancy at Birth in the 20% most deprived population and the rest. |
People of all ages with Mental Health issues including children with low emotional resilience |
People living with Learning Disabilities |
Health Inclusion Groups |
People who have survived C-19 infections from BAME and other diverse communities |
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5 |
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Maternity |
Severe Mental Illness (SMI) |
Chronic Respiratory Disease |
Early Cancer Diagnosis |
Hypertension Case-Finding |
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ensuring continuity of care for 75% of women from BAME communities and from the most deprived groups |
ensuring annual health checks for 60% of those living with SMI (bringing SMI in line with the success seen in Learning Disabilities) |
a clear focus on Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) driving up uptake of Covid, Flu and Pneumonia vaccines to reduce infective exacerbations and emergency hospital admissions due to those exacerbations |
75% of cases diagnosed at stage 1 or 2 by 2028 |
to allow for interventions to optimise BP and minimise the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke |
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As a system we are also learning from the Denny Literature Review (literature review is complete and full report end of December) where investing in trusted partners such as the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector can have a positive impact in building bridges with seldom heard communities.
Inequalities funding
As part of the funding proposal, we would like to work with a VCSE partner in each local authority ‘place’ to establish Community Connector roles within a target population group. We would like the successful VCSE partners to also join our inequalities steering group and help us to develop:
- A model for working with and engaging with communities, taking into account the co-production ladder and potential for engagement fatigue
- A standard job role description for Community Connectors
The successful VSCE partners would take responsibility of recruiting and line managing the Community Connectors for the duration of the funded period.
The Community Connectors funding will be split by each local authority ‘place’ (£75k each). This money will be split equally across each quarter and awarded directly to the successful VCSE organisation until the end of this financial year 2022/23.
Money will be allocated to the successful VCSE partner before end of March 23. Funding for 2023/24 is yet to be confirmed and therefore careful consideration needs to be given for an exit / forward strategy.
If the funds are not spent in full by 31st March 2023, both partners will discuss how any unutilised funds are to be used in support of the programme objectives.
Summary of proposal
With the inequalities funding, we would like to ask VCSE organisations to work with us to appoint a Community Connector, who will be a link into the seldom heard communities and work on specific projects, such as understanding the barriers to access, or to increase access of vaccinations.
Governance
The BLMK Inequalities Steering Group meets every two months to oversee the implementation of health inequalities interventions across the BLMK system and within each local authority ‘place’. A highlight report will be submitted to the Steering Group by the successful VCSE partner to identify progress, learning and risks.
Applications for Community Connector roles in Bedford Borough and Central Beds
If you would like to take part in the Core20Plus5 Connectors Programme for Bedford Borough and Central Beds, then please complete section 1 and return to Julia.robson3@nhs.net by 14th January 2023.
Applications will be considered on an eligibility criteria set out within the application form and all partners will be informed of the decision by 27th January 2023.
Download application form here
