“One of the reasons why I enjoy working with Bristol Community Health is our ability to offer the community of Bristol much more than just healthcare.”
Paul Kearney, Chair of the Board
To us, adding value to the communities of Bristol above and beyond just offering healthcare is crucial. As a social enterprise with a commitment to putting patients as the centre of what we do, social value is not just a buzzword; it’s integral to the way we work.
Social value is a way of maximising the impact of public resources. It involves looking at the collective benefits a community can enjoy when public money is spent, on top of the direct value of healthcare provided.
Many of our patients are older people or have long term conditions. They may find it difficult to leave their homes and this results in isolation and loneliness. Our staff visit regularly to provide healthcare, friendly human contact, care and compassion, as well as introducing patients to sources of support from a wide range of voluntary sector organisations. Our own volunteers work alongside healthcare professionals to provide additional support to patients.
There are lots of ways in which we are adding value to the Bristol community, and we have crammed all of our ideas and goals into our community pledge, Benefitting Bristol. Why not take a look and let us know what you think? Just email our Marketing and Communications Team.
Our community pledge outline the following commitments:
1. To tackle health inequalities,
2. To support the well-being of the community,
3. To engage with and involve our community,
4. To re-invest in our community, and,
5. To contribute to environmental sustainability.
Where is our social value right now?
There is always a lot going on within Bristol Community Health which demonstrates how we are increasing our social value. This is what is happening right now.
Contributing to the well-being of our community
Laura Turner, a respiratory physiotherapist within our COPD Team, is a prime example of how our healthcare staff go above and beyond to deliver more than just healthcare. Speaking to The Guardian online, Laura said that, “my visits are not just about healthcare, I also offer company to many people who otherwise experience very little social interaction.” By taking the time to talk with patients and not just deliver their healthcare, we are contributing to the well-being of our local Bristol community.
To see more about how we are increasing general health and well-being, take a look at our self care section.
Ensuring that all our services are equally accessible to all the people of Bristol who need them
The Haven and Health links are two of our services which are tailored to supporting those who’s first native language is not English. Health Links supports those who live in Bristol who may be struggling to access health services, including people like Shaama Omar. Our service supported Shaama when she needed help accessing not only health services but also with housing and social issues she was facing. You can read more about Shaama, who was featured in the Bristol Post, here.
“I didn’t have anyone when I moved over here. I was frightened if I did go to see the doctor or go to hospital they would take my child away from me. Amran helped me realise that this would not happen. I never go and see a doctor without her, even now.” Shaama
Reinvesting and supporting local suppliers and charities
As an organisation, our corporate and clinical teams work hard to support local charities through fundraising. Most recently, we raised over £800 for Giveamonkeys, and the money will be invested into smaller charities across Bristol. We also recently raised funds at one of our staff events for St Peter’s Hospice, who we also partner with to deliver our Bristol Care Coordination Centre.
Developing honest and open channels of communication
We have undertaken groundbreaking work within patient and public empowerment in order to truly engage and involve patients, carers, and the voluntary sector in our work, and in our service improvements. If you are interested in finding out more, take a look here. Interested in getting involved? Sign up to our participation community here.
Promoting the well-being of our staff
We know that happy staff means healthier patients, and we are committed to working with our staff to improve their general well-being at work. To find out more about what we are doing in this area, visit our work for us section.