Voluntary and community sector

Partnership working between the voluntary sector, local government and the NHS is crucial to improving care for people and communities. The NHS Long Term Plan highlights the need for closer working across these sectors to address the wider determinants of health, which in turn could impact on the demand on primary and acute services.

In South West London we have a strong and rich community and voluntary health and care sector.

Many voluntary sector services are already deeply embedded within the health and care system and working seamlessly alongside NHS and council services, as well as other voluntary organisations. 

Improved collaboration makes it easier for us to work with colleagues from other organisations. And systems can better understand data about local people’s health, allowing them to provide care that is tailored to individual needs.

The impact of the voluntary and community sector in South West London

• Age UK Croydon’s personal independence coordinators supported over 600 local people last year, 98% of whom reported improvements in their mental health and well-being and 100% would recommend the service to friends and family.
• A partnership project between St George’s University Hospitals NHS Trust, East Merton Primary Care Network, NHS South West London CCG and Pollards Hill Baptist Church talked to local people about bladder and prostate problems.
• Taking a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, social prescribing link workers offer support with things like managing stress, physical activity, loneliness and finding social groups. They also signpost people to ways of learning new skills and accessing information on employment, benefits, housing and legal advice. Last year the service supported 2,701 people in Wandsworth.

Read our local stories to learn more about the impact partnership working is having on people in South West London.