Last Updated on November 7, 2016

For the first time, care leaders are offering a clear way of making sure that community-centred approaches are embedded in health and social care services. The clear set of principles and actions have been launched by the Think Local Act Personal (TLAP) Partnership. Engaging and Empowering Communities: A Shared Commitment and Call to Action offers a compelling case for working collaboratively to create strong and empowered communities, and for this to be central to the transformation of the health and care sector.

It is co-authored by all national health and care system leaders, including the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services, Coalition for Collaborative Care, Local Government Association, Public Health England, Association of Directors of Public Health, the Department of Health and NHS England.

The report was produced following a National Leaders’ Seminar on community and citizen empowerment, attended by NHS England Chief Executive, Simon Stevens, which called for national agencies to work together in realising the policy ambitions of the Care Act and Five Year Forward View.

The report argues for the need to build strong and inclusive communities that can address persistent health and wellbeing inequalities. Key principles and broad actions are set out with a commitment from key partners to develop a detailed plan to support practical actions on the ground.

Kate Sibthorp and Clenton Farquharson, members of TLAP’s National Co-production Advisory Group, said, 'A better life for me is just common sense. What we need is for this collaboration to result in all the parts of the system working together to help better lives be a common experience for everyone who use health, care and support services. People who work in this area need to be reminded that knowing you should do something about it is not the same as actually doing something about it. Organisations need to create the conditions for this shared commitment to work, and central to this is having good relationships so we can all work together to support practical action on the ground.

'We welcome this report whole-heartedly and hope it will inspire genuine commitment to working with people and communities. We look forward to hearing and sharing lots more stories of how people are achieving their best health and wellbeing, both physical and emotional, through this approach.'

Lynda Tarpey, Director of Think Local Act Personal, said, 'There is clear consensus amongst sector leaders that people and communities must be central to the redesign of care and other public sector services, using approaches that go beyond traditional statutory interventions.

'Increasing evidence from research and practice demonstrates that building community and helping people to develop social networks has the potential to address wellbeing, improve outcomes as well as more effectively apportion limited public finances.'