Compassionate Communities in Action – What Does It Mean? Funding from the Local Commissioning Group A pilot project based in the Waterside Community engagement Awareness raising Reach Out -a Compassionate Neighbours scheme The Western Local Commissioning Group has made funding available through the End of Life stream of the Integrated Care Partnership for a pilot project based in the Waterside to be delivered by March 2016. It is a partnership consisting of Hillcrest Trust and Caw/Nelson Drive Community Groups , the 3 GP practices based in Waterside Health Centre and Foyle Hospice There are 3 strands to the project: - building links with interested groups to develop models and resources which allow greater public awareness of and involvement in the care and support of those who are frail and vulnerable living at home -awareness raising including this conference and an art exhibition - a befriending/ compassionate neighbours scheme that links volunteers with -those living with advanced illness and frailty to reduce social isolation and enable people to remain safely at home. The aim is for the communities to take ownership and the hope is that other communities will want to establish their own schemes learning from the model established during the pilot phase

Pilot Areas: Caw, Victoria and Clondermott Hillcrest Trust works in an area of the city known as Top of the Hill which is in the Victoria and Clondermot wards Caw/Nelson Drive is in the Caw ward. Both areas have a large amount of social housing and are regeneration areas with high levels of social and economic deprivation.

The Role of a Compassionate Neighbour Visit once a week for 1-2 hours Visits are restricted to Mon- Fri, 9am – 5pm Could involve trips to the local shops, enjoying a shared interest, introduction to local hobby groups Not personal care Compassionate Neighbours provide support to people who are living at home with advanced illness. Trained volunteers provide weekly contact with people who have become isolated a home as a result of illness Volunteer visits are restricted to office hours so that there is support readily available if needed for both client and volunteer. Volunteer involvement is geared towards encouraging the client out of the house to perhaps do a bit of shopping or join a hobby group. It is a befriending scheme and the role of the Compassionate Neighbour is to offer companionship NOT social care Our aim is to help those who are frail and living with advanced illness to live independently and remain at home

Challenges/Lessons Learned 1 Timescale Proving the value Community engagement Funding received July, Project Facilitator and p/t Volunteer Coordinator in post mid August. The project to be set up and evaluated by 31st March 2016. Inevitably a focus on the Compassionate Neighbour part of the project which some see of less value than developing resources and running events to help communities talk about and prepare for end of life, loss and bereavement. An independent evaluator has been appointed who will collect data relating to befriender recruitment, number of relationships established (target is 15), impact on primary care e.g., GP visits, phone calls to GP practice, physical and psychological well-being, level of support, satisfaction and quality of life of clients, carers and volunteers . The evidence of the reduction in the need for primary care services provided by other CC projects was key to obtaining funding. In the time it will be difficult to do more than demonstrate a direction of travel at most. A new area of work for the Hospice . Although it is supported by the community and would not exist without the community it has not previously engaged in community development activity. It can be hard to let go. A key area for the community groups was in relation to whether they are partners with influence and input into the strategic direction of the project or only (their view) delivery agents.

Challenges/Lessons Learned 2 Professional attitudes Health and Social Care agenda Sustainability Learning from others Establishing trust between GPs and the community groups. Fears on both sides e.g. for the safety of a vulnerable person, making referrals to the voluntary sector, a challenge to professional boundaries. There is also a tension between the focus of the project on end of life and palliative care and the understanding of those terms in the communities who want to help those who are frail and vulnerable and want to be able to refer and not just have GP referrals. Linked is suspicion relating to the Health and Social Care agenda, using volunteers to provide what should be statutory services, is there a danger that formalising existing acts of compassion will turn them into service delivery and actually hinder and lead to a reduction in acts of compassion? Key to the 3 previous points is relationship building. The aim is for the initial 2 communities to gradually take on the running of the schemes and for the Hospice’s ongoing role to be to facilitate in terms of training and support for volunteers whilst helping other communities to set up their own schemes One of the most positive aspects has been the warm welcome and offers of practical support and help from other projects especially Severn Hospice and Limerick .