The full version of the Supporting Integrated Care Through Leisure and Culture Report for England can be found here.
Almost £450 million of social value was created in the last 12 months by Charitable Trusts in England.
This staggering figure is part of a new report by Community Leisure UK, which is encouraging health professionals in England to Connect, Visit and Collaborate with their local Charitable Trust and help support the Government’s patients first approach.
The Supporting Integrated Care Through Leisure and Culture Report also makes it clear that while social value figures are impressive, the power of Charitable Trusts lies within their person-centred approach to health and social care.
Trust can support the freeing up of clinicians and the Government’s putting patients first approach by providing access to tailored and supervised physical activity and cultural activity at the right time in the optimal care setting and, ultimately, reducing the overall burden on the health sector.
Trusts can support the delivery of NHS priorities, including; improving outcomes in population health, tackling inequalities and supporting broader social and economic development through prehabilitation, rehabilitation and preventative services.
And because they are rooted in their communities, they are able to build a relationship of mutual trust, enabling them to link patients with other health and community services.
Warren Smyth, Chair of Community Leisure’s England Health Group and Chief Executive of Abbeycroft Leisure, said: “Our members have the ability to support the NHS, other stakeholders, and the Government’s patients first approach by providing the additional support needed to free up clinicians by reducing the overall burden on the health system.
“Charitable Trusts can support with mental health, integrating care into communities, reducing social isolation, support for healthy ageing as well as dealing with the demand on services following the impact of the pandemic
“We’d encourage all health professionals in England to reach out and connect with their local Charitable Trust and see how they can support.”
Leisure and Culture Trusts, as non-profit distributing organisations, can offer Integrated Care Systems, the NHS and wider public health partners their facilities, a skilled workforce, and reach into communities to jointly improve England’s health and wellbeing.
Managing more than 1300 physical buildings in communities across England, welcoming over 126 million visitors a year, and investing in a large and skilled workforce, leisure and culture trusts are ready to support the health sector – delivering quality, personal care and reducing workload pressures.
Warren Smyth added: “The large network of non-profit distributing Leisure and Culture Trusts in England is ideally positioned to support some of the NHS’ most pressing challenges, including managing increased demand for health and social care, reducing waiting lists, providing early interventions to prevent and reduce health complications and improve people’s wellbeing.
To read the Supporting Integrated Care Through Leisure and Culture Report, visit https://communityleisureuk.org/work/health-wellbeing/.
There is also a collection of case studies accompanying the report. You can find a list of all our members here.
