Community Connectors is a North Central London Integrated Care System programme to strengthen and support local communities who face the highest health inequalities. This is in line with the goals of Core20PLUS5, which is our communities who live in the 20 per cent areas of highest deprivation.
The programme is delivering through our five HealthWatch partners in North Central London, covering the boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, and Islington. Our focus is healthy hearts and hypertension as a key element of our Population Health and Integrated Care Strategy.
The Community Connectors programme involves raising awareness within local communities, providing health checks through volunteers, and linking local people into self-management support. This approach lets us connect directly with excluded communities experiencing healthcare inequalities. It gives these communities a voice to address barriers, supports them to reduce health inequalities, and connects them to decision-makers. People are encouraged to take practical steps locally for health improvement through education and engagement.
Programme reach
- The programme has reached over 2,000 people. In Barnet alone, Community Connectors volunteers carried out 967 blood pressure checks.
- Over 100 events were held in community settings offering blood pressure readings.
- Blood pressure checking equipment was provided in community settings so people could continue to monitor their readings.
Benefits of this model
- Communities regularly told us they appreciated receiving health checks in settings they already visited. These included libraries, town centres, markets, local food banks, community groups and religious sites
- People also fed back that they felt they were able to take ownership of their health and set personal goals.
- Many people tested through this model had high blood pressure readings and had not been aware of this. We were able to provide good solutions to manage this through lifestyle and behavioural change.
- The community connectors also gained significant insights into people’s lives, such as (other health issues being prevalent including diabetes and high cholesterol. This meant they were able to provide holistic health advice.
- We were able to deliver health workshops together with local pharmacies who gave advice on how to lower blood pressure and improve people’s overall health and wellbeing.
- This model reaches communities who face the highest health inequalities and helps to make health support and advice more accessible and fair for everyone.