Let’s Start With People - Our Work in Surrey
Image Title: Fault Lines and Front Lines: Strengthening Health System Resilience
As part of our work undertaken in NW Surrey we are working with one of the first emeging ICS teams in the region. The following presentation provides a summary of this work, starting with a review of the Acute Hospital Trust’s St Peter’s estate but quickly widening to support the wider community services. Presented to the House of Lords Built Environment Select Committee on the occasion of their visit to Staines, the below key shifts from ‘business as usual’ were identified for Built environment impacts, specifically in terms of Health on the High Street, and are particularly relevant to the Staines Cavell Centre (Oast House Development) one of 6 pilot NHS England projects proposed for the future of Primary Care:
The bringing of Healthcare services to the high street helps to re-sight the public view of GP Surgeries away from just being a place to go for treatment. Placing the Health & Wellbeing Centre at the heart of the community, on footfall routes to, as well as part of the high street was an important consideration for the choice of site here at Staines (between key residential areas, the station and town centre)
In deciding on what spaces were required (what physical environments to provide – either through re-use of existing spaces or building of new) a crucial element was pinpointing activities relevant to our particular community. At Staines this was achieved through discussion with local, successful service providers, (both Spelthorne Borough Council and volunteer services), who had an already developed network and understanding of their resident’s real need (not just perceived). These were then prioritised to provide those facilities that responded best (including within the budget).