The CORE20Plus5 Connectors programme is part of the support framework for progressing the goals of CORE20Plus5, a national NHS England and NHS Improvement approach to support the reduction of health inequalities at both a national and system level. The programme is being coordinated by South, Central and West (SCW) in partnership with the Health Inequalities Improvement team at NHS England.
The Connectors programme funds Integrated Care System (ICS) and place-based initiatives to recruit, mobilise and support influential community connectors to take practical action to improve health and reduce inequalities across the five clinical priorities outlined in the CORE20Plus5 approach. Our focus is healthy hearts and hypertension adjoining to our Population Health strategy as well as our two strategies; ‘Working with People and Communities’ and ‘Working with the VCSE’. You can read more about the programme on SCW’s website here.
The programme involves raising awareness within local communities, providing health checks through community connector volunteers, and linking local people into self-management support. This approach lets us connect directly with excluded communities experiencing health inequalities and gives them a voice to address barriers and enablers to reduce those inequalities and connect people to decision-makers. This includes taking practical steps locally for health improvement through education and engagement. Connectors are those with influence in their community who can help engage local people with health services. Offering unique insight into the barriers people living in their communities’ face, connectors are ideally placed to advise local NHS services on how these can be overcome and what makes a good service. This programme works across the 5 NCL boroughs with a local programme being delivered by each Healthwatch, grass roots VCSE and local people.
A monitoring report of last years delivery coming soon.
