1. Getting started

We support local areas to build partnerships where no meaningful cross-sector relationships exist.

For example:

A local NHS system was created in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire – a large new geography. We brought cross-sector partners together with the broad aim of better understanding the needs of their population. This was a particular challenge due to historic and increasing competition for contracts amongst community organisations. Through a series of workshops, we re-set relationships and established a Social Prescribing Expert Group. This enabled more effective communication between the voluntary sector and the NHS, culminating in the group working together to promote and deliver a consistent social prescribing offer across the new region.

Resources: 

Delayed Transfers of Care and the Voluntary and Community Sector in Greater Nottingham: Findings and Recommendations

People, places and health agencies: Lessons from Big Local residents

2. Getting to the next level

We enable areas with an existing cross-sector partnership to translate good intentions into actionable plans.

For example: 

In Oldham, working with a recently established group of statutory colleagues and voluntary sector organisations, we ran a workshop to demonstrate the impact of partnership working and develop action plans for the future. The workshop focused on developing a collective evidence base rooted in local practices, to better demonstrate the impact of partnership working. It resulted in agreement between over 30 organisations, across sectors, on a common approach to co-producing services and to commissioning, which will support funding decisions about local health and care services.

Resources: 

Copeland Community Stroke Prevention project: This report is based on the work undertaken through Building Health Partnerships (BHP) in North Cumbria and the Copeland Community stroke prevention project. The project wanted to help people identify potential risk factors and raise awareness of lifestyle choices that can improve their health.

What would enable sustained transformation in cross-sector working in the long term? 

3. Making it stick

We support existing partnerships to make changes at the system level.

For example: 

In Worcestershire, the voluntary sector felt like an equal partner to the NHS during the immediate Covid-19 response. We facilitated a cross-sector workshop to understand what was different, and how to make that way of working stick. A clear set of actions was developed – from joint planning to sharing office space – which was included in the refresh of the area’s local Long Term Plan.

Resources: 

How to build an effective partnership: In Lancashire and South Cumbria, statutory and voluntary sector professionals have been working together to design, test and deliver improved health outcomes for local people.

Trust, power and collaboration: Human Learning Systems approaches in voluntary and community organisations. This report shares practical tips for taking a ‘human learning systems’ approach to commissioning and funding relationships.

4. Getting unstuck

We support areas who are already involved in collaborative working to address challenges on their partnership journey.

For example: 

In North Cumbria, we rebuilt relationships between the NHS and communities following the controversial decision to combine two stroke units into one hyper acute stroke unit. People were understandably very concerned: 85% of strokes are preventable, yet in one area in West Cumbria, people were 104% more likely to have a stroke than the national average. We enabled cross-sector partners to identify local events where stroke prevention messages could be shared. This led to over 200 people being tested for stroke risk at community events, with over 20% being referred to their pharmacy or GP.

Resources: 

Talking points for cross-sector partnerships: Questions to use when exploring new and existing ways of working in partnership at Integrated Care Partnership level, with the aim of finding out more about what things look like now, what can be learned and what needs to be changed/developed.

5 things that help system leaders ‘have difficult conversations’: Blog highlighting the lessons from leadership workshops with cross-sector leaders.

Useful resources for health partnership working

Below, we’ve collated a list of the most helpful resources for building cross-sector relationships that improve community-based healthcare.

Moving to action and growing pilot projects: Practical tips provided by health and care leaders on getting started and growing pilot projects.

Measuring impact: Practical tips provided by health and care leaders on measuring the impact of projects.

Barriers are coming down: Community-based healthcare during Covid-19 and the challenges and opportunities facing cross-sector leaders.

What good looks like: An example of cross-sector working in Pennine.

How we set up a social prescribing service during lockdown: Two social prescribing link workers in Lytham St Anne’s Primary Care Network reflect on their role.

A Community Action Network in West End, Morecambe Bay: Set up to improve local lives through sharing resources, seeking investment, supporting each other, and involving local people in the conversations and decisions that affect them.

A toolkit for conducting community research: Produced to support community researchers looking at delayed transfers of care in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

12 steps to embedding social value priorities: A tried and tested framework for commissioning authorities, VCSEs and service users to agree and implement social value priorities in health and care commissioning.