Our #PowerToChange partners met in December to reflect on the year just gone and to think about the year ahead. General consensus was our sector is getting squeezed increasing demand for support and less money available to fund us. So ,all were keen to explore how we can improve collaboration across the sector and with public and business sector.
We were joined by Noel Singh, who leads on community and funding at the county council. Noel shared his belief that social prescribing offered a great opportunity for funding to be made available to frontline grassroots community organisations, who are often supporting the most vulnerable and marginalised. In discussion, many shared that whilst they linked with social prescribers, often it created extra work and demand but no funding.
The NHS keen to work with sector but partnership also needs funding, and we really have a lot to offer the community and NHS
There was also agreement that often there were overlapping initiatives and too much silo working.
It is a #PowerToChange group cliché, but we really do need more joined up, creative and agile partnership working without ego, silo or logo
Going forward all were keen to work with public sector business and community to ensure as much as possible local needs and issues are understood and organisations are working in partnership with local people to develop solutions. All present felt social prescribing offered an opportunity to make this happen and are keen to explore further with NHS colleagues.
For more info on:
#PowerToChange Model https://www.leicestershirecares.co.uk/about-charity/our-approach/
Social prescribing https://leicesterleicestershireandrutland.icb.nhs.uk/our-work/greener-general-practices/case-study-social-prescribing/