Abstract
BackgroundNHS systems are under increasing, unsustainable pressure. In the context of rising demand, limited resources and changing population needs, partnership working across sectors is crucial. The Liverpool City Region has a richness of voluntary organisations and community based assets that the Life Rooms innovation draws upon to widen the base of health and wellbeing support. The Life Rooms therefore aims to facilitate the collaboration of NHS systems with arts, voluntary and community organisations in the local health economy. This evaluation explores the Life Rooms model of partnership working spread over in excess of one hundred partnerships with voluntary, community, and corporate sector organisations.MethodsThe evaluation drew on thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with Life Rooms staff members (n = 10), partner organisations (n = 16), and users of the Life Rooms (n = 7).ResultsFive overarching themes were identified: Quality of partnerships; Benefits of partnership working; Facilitators; Challenges within the Life Rooms model; and Making things even better.ConclusionsOne of the significant successes of the Life Rooms partnership working model is the way in which the service collaborates with a wide range of organisations with the aim of providing more effective and holistic support. The success of this approach illustrates how, led by NHS Trust innovation, multiple bodies can play a role in supporting health care by bringing unique skills, expertise and programmes together to ensure multiple options to support the multiple different aspects of people’s health. These insights may be useful to other NHS organisations that may be considering a similar integration agenda.
Highlights
Common mental health problems are said to affect one in six people in the United Kingdom (UK, [1])
Policy developments within the UK acknowledge the value of social approaches to health
In the context of rising demand, limited resources and changing population needs, partnership working across sectors is crucial
Summary
Common mental health problems are said to affect one in six people in the United Kingdom (UK, [1]). Policy developments within the UK acknowledge the value of social approaches to health (e.g., the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health 2016; NHS Long Term Plan, 2019). The Five Year Forward View highlights a number of ways in which this could be achieved including supporting people to manage their own health and wellbeing, and building strong partnerships with the voluntary and community sector [6]. Consistent with this, the NHS Long Term Plan [7] and the Community Mental Health Framework [8] highlight the need for closer working across sectors to address the wider determinants of health. The Life Rooms aims to facilitate the collaboration of NHS systems with arts, voluntary and community organisations in the local health economy. This evaluation explores the Life Rooms model of partnership working spread over in excess of one hundred partnerships with voluntary, community, and corporate sector organisations
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
