Government Cites Innovative Community Health and Wellbeing Worker Program in House of Lords enquiry

An initiative spearheaded by the Innovation and Evaluation theme at NIHR ARC NWL has taken centre stage in a House of Lords enquiry into the Integration of Primary and Community Care. The pioneering Community Health and Wellbeing Worker (CHWW) program, implemented in Westminster, has garnered attention for its potential to revolutionise healthcare services across the nation.

Chaired by Baroness Pitkeathley, the House of Lords enquiry examines how to ensure that primary and community healthcare services are readily available and seamlessly integrated, to provide holistic care for individuals and communities. The Westminster initiative, drawing inspiration from the Brazilian Family Health Strategy, has emerged as a standout model for replication on a broader scale.

Since its inception in 2010, Imperial College London and the NIHR ARC NWL have been driving forces behind the initiative and has led efforts to introduce the universal, comprehensive and integrated role of the CHWW into the UK. Collaborating with the National Association of Primary Care, the program's success is evident in its ability to transition from pilot feasibility and acceptability studies in Westminster (2021) to scaled initiatives in Bridgewater, Calderdale, Cornwall, Wandsworth, and Kensington. This collaborative effort has also created a community of practice dedicated to implementing the innovative CHWW role.

The CHWW role is designed to integrate primary and community care through proactive, home-based visits covering approximately 120-150 households. Recruited from the local community, each CHWW functions as an integral member of the primary care team, with crucial links with the voluntary sector and local authorities. A recent evaluation of the pilot initiative in Westminster showcased improved uptake of preventative services and demonstrated the significant impact on residents through integrated, real-time health and social care support. This success has earned recognition in the 2022 Fuller Stocktake Report and nominations for prestigious awards such as the MJ Awards and RCGP Quality Improvement Awards.

The initiative gained further prominence when the Lord Bishop of London took notice during a pilot project at a Pimlico GP practice. Subsequently, a House of Lords delegation visited the program, influencing the ongoing enquiry into the Integration of Primary and Community Care.

NIHR ARC NWL is leading a cluster Randomised Control Trial (RCT), planned alongside the expansion to 24 CHWWs in Westminster to provide needed evidence around the value of hyperlocal, proactive community support roles in the UK. This strategic collaboration involves Healthcare Central London, the National Association of Primary Care, George Institute and One Westminster.