Community Engagement

Three people pruning trees NHS organisations play a central role in any community and can make a significant contribution to health that goes beyond their obvious clinical functions. They can help local people make informed decisions, enabling them to live healthy, sustainable lifestyles. They can work with local authorities and other public services (such as schools and transport planners) to produce healthy, sustainable outcomes more efficiently.

And they can demonstrate leadership through the example they set to others in areas like food, active travel and energy efficiency.

By understanding the needs of the local population, NHS organisations can understand how to influence their behaviours in relation to health and sustainable development.

This means:

Understanding the local community and involving its members in decision making and scrutiny
Involving members of the local community in the planning and delivery of healthcare
Working positively with key stakeholders to ensure local decisions (e.g. on planning or transport) are good for health and sustainability
Supporting a strong and sustainable local economy by involving local suppliers in appropriate procurement opportunities
Promoting healthy, sustainable food and nutrition.

Benefits

Tackling health inequalities and promoting social cohesion

Empowering the local community to adopt healthier, more sustainable lifestyles

More effective service development and delivery - based on evidence of need

Reducing waiting times and financial burden on the NHS – by helping to move from treatment to prevention

Enhancing reputation – with staff, patients, visitors and the wider community.

Facts

More than 75% of people in the UK are in favour of local communities having more say in the decisions that affect them
There are more than 55,000 social enterprises in Britain generating more than £27bn turnover
People living in deprived areas are more likely to smoke, eat less nutritional meals, take less physical exercise, and be more susceptible to drugs and alcohol abuse.