Neighbourhood Health: Familiar Evidence

'Putting the Neighbourhood Back into Neighbourhood Health', and what it means for the VCFSE

A couple of weeks ago, I shared Locality's report on the future of community ownership because I believe it has important implications for Community Anchors, Pride in Place, Community Wealth Building, Community Power and the future of neighbourhood working in Wirral.

This week I'd encourage you to read another thought-provoking paper: Putting the Neighbourhood Back into Neighbourhood Health, published by New Local and written by Cormac Russell and Lisa McNally.

For Wirral, this isn't just another national publication. Many of you will know that Cormac Russell worked alongside Wirral Council Public Health and the sector to introduce Asset Based Community Development (ABCD).

I don't believe there is anything surprising in the report, no great revelations - at least not for the VCFSE sector.

Importantly, the report does highlight the contradiction that while Government makes the promise in the NHS 10 Year Plan to give power to people, it "retreats into the familiar territory of clinical care and institutional activity".

We need to ensure that the broader messaging that 'communities create health when we make best use of the Assets available to us' is heard and evidenced.