Working together to help people stay well in Dorset

Over 130 people came to a Dorset health and care event on Tuesday 23 September. These people work in different parts of the NHS and local community including general practice, community healthcare, and the voluntary sector. They are all part of what’s called an Integrated Neighbourhood Team, (INT). These teams are working together to help local people stay well, closer to home.

Lucy-Ann Bett from Macmillan Cancer Support spoke about the organisation’s investment in Dorset. We also heard about some of the exciting work underway in Weymouth and Portland INT who are focussing on making ‘every contact count’, so people get the right care, at the right time, in the right place.

Andy Saunders from Crane Valley shared their project called Community Switch. This is an innovative way to help people find local support for their health and wellbeing.

He explained to the audience, “The website starts by asking: ‘How are you feeling?’ From there, people can find over 90 local groups that could offer them support or help.

“We also share videos from people who’ve used the services. Each page has tips for carers too, and a list of events in the area.”

Community Switch is a great example of helping people get the right help, when they need it, locally.

During the day, everyone took part in group chats. One important topic was how to help people who need a lot of support. These are people who may visit the GP surgery, ambulance service or hospital often. Teams are now working on new wellbeing plans to support them better and services working together more effectively.

By shifting the conversation from “What’s the matter with you?” to “What matters to you?”, and by really asking, listening, and responding to what people need, we believe we can promote truly person-centred care and improve outcomes across the board.

This helps us understand what people really need. And when we listen, we can give better care that fits their lives.