Third Sector's contribution to Building Healthier & Happier Communities

Abstract

Our poster will describe how Building Healthier and Happier Communities - a national programme, delivered locally - will demonstrate the difference an investment in community capacity makes to managing demand on primary care services. Charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations of all shapes and sizes already make significant impacts in areas like early intervention, prevention and care and support for people with complex and multiple conditions - but there is scope for them to do more. By shifting resources to build organisations' capacity, extend their reach and improve their connections, we aim to ensure that more people get the help and support they need without having to visit their GP or other health and social care services. In addition, our programme engages with public sector colleagues to improve their understanding of how the third sector works with people to improve their health and happiness and how, by equipping people to do more for themselves and each other, third sector organisations play an important and ongoing role in building community resilience. Our poster will outline the Scottish commitment to health and social care integration, prevention and co-production; explain how our programme contributes to that change agenda; present our theory of change in the form of a logic model; set out in graphic form the process we have developed for delivering the investment (both direct funding and other forms of support); illustrate our cross-sector partnership approach; and depict the projects which have been selected to receive that support. It will also share some of the key learning points from the project so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]