A school psychologist and a bid for 12 new community healthcare assistants are among a series of projects to benefit from a £5million NHS cash boost.
The money is being provided to voluntary and community projects in Suffolk from the NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk and NHS West Suffolk Clinical Commissioning Groups’ Transformational Fund.
The funds are earmarked for projects right across the county with the aim of providing better joined-up services to help people stay independent and healthy as long as possible.
Among the projects set to receive a slice of the pot are a mental health scheme at Thurston College for students and staff, the development of social prescribing schemes and the introduction of the Dutch Buurtzorg care model, offering personalised local neighbourhood nursing services.
A total of 128 bids were received for a share of the £4.8million pot, with 46 projects chosen after careful scrutiny by a panel of health experts including both CCGs, Healthwatch Suffolk, the county council, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust and Suffolk GP Federation.
Dr Ed Garratt, chief officer for both CCGs, said: “This funding will support projects that will assist people to live well in their own community and enjoy good physical and mental wellbeing.
“This can only be achieved through very close working between partners and will help ensure health and social care services have a sustainable future.
“It is pleasing that so many organisations with so many good ideas applied for this funding.
“Some of projects have received a sizeable sum, others more modest amounts.
“This reflects how projects both big and small can make a positive difference to people’s lives.
“Over the coming months we’ll be monitoring the projects to ensure that the funding is being used effectively to support our local community.”
Projects set to receive funding include £46,500 to support 1,000 self-help ‘myHeart’ apps, £78,000 to support trials of the ‘Living Life To the Full’ initiative to increase access to mental wellbeing support at 27 rural GP practices in Suffolk and £116,000 towards 12 community healthcare assistants to support the frail and elderly in their own home.
Andy Yacoub, CEO of Healthwatch Suffolk, who chaired the panel, said: “I would like to thank the CCGs for doing something different by inviting stakeholders to be part of the decision on how this transformation money could be used, rather than by making in-house decisions as has sometimes been the case in the past.
“It’s brave, open and shows that the CCGs respect their partners in the east and west Suffolk health and care system.”
See here for a full list of the projects set to benefit from the cash boost.
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