We’re delighted to be working alongside Sirona care & health (lead provider) and Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust (AWP) to deliver children’s community health across Bristol and South Gloucestershire from today (1 April).

The service that has transferred to our organisations is called the Community Children’s Health Partnership (CCHP). Working with Barnardo’s, it provides child healthcare and child and adolescent mental healthcare across Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Over 800 staff work in CCHP including community paediatricians, children’s therapists, health visitors, school health nurses, children’s mental health teams, administrative staff, nursery nurses, managers and safeguarding leads. The dedicated staff team work across professional and organisational boundaries to provide a high quality and integrated service to children, young people, families and carers, especially those from vulnerable and hard to reach groups.

CCHP staff are joining our organisations from North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT). Together, our partnership will manage the service for a year whilst commissioners run a tender process for a longer, five year contract.

Senior leaders from Bristol Community Health, Sirona care & health and AWP are delighted to welcome the CCHP staff into their team and are looking forward to supporting the service to deliver its outstanding care.

Janet Rowse, Chief Executive at Sirona care & health said: ““We are really pleased to be working with our colleagues at Bristol Community Health and AWP to serve children, young people and their families in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

“Our priority is to ensure the high quality care currently provided continues to be provided and to build on the excellent work already underway across the area. We will also be continuing to work with Barnardo’s to ensure the voice of the child is listened to across all our services.”

Julia Clarke, Chief Executive at Bristol Community Health said: “CCHP delivers an outstanding service across our local area and so we’re truly delighted to be taking on this service with our partners. We look forward to welcoming staff into our organisation and supporting them so they can achieve even greater things for children and young people in Bristol and beyond.”

Hayley Richards, AWP’s acting chief executive, said, “These are exciting new services for AWP. I’m looking forward to welcoming and working with the child and adolescent mental health teams as well as many of the young people and families they support.

“I’m also looking forward to working within our new partnership with Sirona care & health and Bristol Community Health CIC - both of which are characterised by truly passionate leadership teams and staff - and, over the coming year, strengthening the relationship between our organisations.”