A Leicestershire scheme to help patients who are feeling lonely and isolated has won new grant funding after being nominated by local GPs.
GPs from Long Lane surgery in Coalville submitted the project for a Healthy Communities Grant from ourselves, the specialist property company which looks after their medical centre building.Practices working in our 550 buildings around the country were invited to put forward schemes which made a difference to health for their patients.
The weekly coffee and garden club works with people in Coalville to work with a local area co-ordinator who can help with social issues and introduce them to other community groups that may be of interest. The surgery also has an allotment which volunteers maintain with help from the surgery team. The grown produce is then sold for donations to the garden club to buy more plants.
Anabel Sharma, Business Manager and Chief Operating Officer at Long Lane Surgery said: “Many of our patients feel lonely and isolated, so we wanted to give them the opportunity to come to a place where they feel safe and know the surroundings. Along with our local area co-ordinator we have also had other organisations visit our coffee club to do presentations, e.g. fire safety (safety in the home), talks from the practice team on how to use your phones and tablets, help with online shopping on computers and many other presentations.”
Jonathan Murphy our CEO, said: “We hear so much in the media about the pressures facing the NHS due to loneliness – and it’s been particularly striking to see that theme running through many of these nominations. This is invaluable insight from GPs about the community projects which make the biggest difference to health for their patients, and we’re absolutely delighted to support them through our buildings.”