Agenda item

Report CS18131

The Board received a presentation from Colin Maclean, Chair, Bromley Third Sector Enterprise and Chief Executive, Community Links Bromley and Toni Walsh, Partnership Manager, Bromley Third Sector Enterprise on Bromley Third Sector Enterprise and Bromley Well.

First established in 2016, Bromley Third Sector Enterprise was a partnership of local voluntary sector providers which included Age UK Bromley and Greenwich, Bromley Mencap, Bromley and Lewisham Mind, Citizens Advice Bromley, Community Links Bromley and other associate members with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of local residents.  Bromley Third Sector Enterprise had worked to support the Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group to develop a range of initiatives including the Out-of-Hospital Strategy, the Integrated Care Networks Programme and the pilot project for the Proactive Care Pathway for the Elderly Frail, and was currently commissioned to host the Dementia Support Hub and the Primary and Secondary Intervention Service.  Bromley Third Sector Enterprise also delivered the Bromley Well Service that had been launched in October 2017 to provide a single point of access service supporting Bromley residents to stay emotionally and physically well, avoid or delay the use of health and social care services and remain independent.  Approximately 1200 contacts had been made to the single point of access service each month since October 2017, and over 1800 Bromley residents were being actively supported by Bromley Well as at the end of December 2017.  Pathways within the Bromley Well Service linked to the key vulnerable groups identified within the Bromley Joint Strategic Needs Assessment including older people, those with mental wellbeing needs, and carers, and also offered support towards employment, education and volunteering as well as advice and guidance on social determinants for health such as housing and debt management.

The Chair, Bromley Third Sector Enterprise confirmed that the Bromley Well Service was working to build closer links with health services and that processes were in place to support confidential referrals from General Practitioners, Bromley Healthcare and other key health partners.  The Bromley Well Service was also part of the multi-disciplinary team supporting Integrated Care Networks and would continue to work with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust with the aim of ensuring that key mental health and wellbeing services were available through the single point of access service.

In response to a question from a Board Member, the Partnership Manager, Bromley Third Sector Enterprise advised that a number of the services accessible through the Bromley Well Service undertook home visits and that this could assist in identifying cases of self-neglect.  The Bromley Well Service worked closely with the Police and Fire Service to ensure that people received the support they needed to remain safe in their homes and to identify safety concerns such as hoarding.  A Member noted that older people who had suffered the loss of a partner were particularly vulnerable to social isolation and could benefit from the befriending services accessible through Bromley Well. 

The Chairman led Members in thanking Colin Maclean and Toni Walsh for their excellent presentation which is attached at Appendix A.

RESOLVED that the update be noted.