Analysis
This
study was carried out to show what needs to be put in place if
a meaningful partnership is to be developed between the NHSSB
and the local community networks and groups.
In
the process of developing a meaningful partnership, local communities
need to be able to articulate their health and social wellbeing
concerns and where possible, to take an increased active responsibility
for their own health and social wellbeing.
Health
and Social Wellbeing
As
part of the study it was important to determine what the views
were of health and social wellbeing. Most of the respondents
had similar views on what health and social wellbeing meant, what
affected their health and what taking responsibility for their
health and social wellbeing meant.
The
results show that health and social wellbeing is often thought
of as something personal. Most respondents considered it to be more
than physical health and perceived that it was influenced by other
factors such as the environment, the economy and demography. There were some who recognised that
circumstances beyond people’s own control affected how they
were able to look after their own health and social wellbeing.
Some community respondents did think of it in the wider context of the
communities’ health and social wellbeing.
Another
factor was the provision
of services, access
to those services and individuals having the ability and the information necessary to make choices about the services
that they need and use.
Structure
and decision making process
Many
were unclear as to how the funds were allocated
and what factors influenced this. Generally, they were unsure
how the Board took into account the views and needs of the community
and they thought that community groups and individuals were rarely
able to influence the process.
To
meet the second objective of the project, that is, to increase
understanding by community groups of the structures and decision
making processes within Health and Social Services, the above
points need to be addressed. A mechanism needs to be put in place that
will help community groups to have a greater understanding of the current
system and the structures of the Health and Social
Services. This has to take into account the need to develop a
means of explaining what factors influence
the decision making process with information being disseminated to groups
using an appropriate mechanism in an understandable and jargon
free language.
Confidence
There
is a need to develop confidence so that people in communities are able to consider the health and social wellbeing
of the whole community. Already there are some
that feel it is important that those who have a ‘voice’
should represent the views of the community to the health and
social services. Those carrying out this task will need to know what the concerns
and needs of the community are, how the health
and social services operates and how they can articulate those
needs to providers and purchasers of care.
The
confidence local groups have in dealing with other issues and
working with statutory agencies should to be used to develop their
skills and confidence to articulate the health and social wellbeing
needs of the community as a whole.
The
results of the baseline study show that presently, among community
groups the majority are not very confident in their knowledge
of the Health and Social Services system. More is known about
the work that takes place on the ground and some are in contact
with the Causeway HSS Trust but few have ever accessed the NHSSB.
Access
and Contact
Many
of the community groups have had contact with other statutory
agencies, such as the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the
local Council. Examples of how groups have previously collected and shared information
with these agencies could encourage other groups
and inform them about the different methods and mechanisms that
could be used to develop contact and a partnership with the Health
and Social Services, especially the Board.
The
Board has had a lot
of contact with voluntary organisations but less contact with
community groups. The experience of working with voluntary organisations could be
used to develop more contact with community groups.
Although these groups may have different remits, some of the knowledge
on how information is exchanged can be transferred to aid the
development of more established links with community groups.
The success that voluntary groups have can encourage community
groups to participate in the sharing and collecting of information.
