Knowing me, knowing you

Here’s an interesting report – interesting not only for its contents but for the collaborative way in which it was compiled. Some lessons here perhaps for our Prudent Healthcare strategy – and its implementation. The report emphasises the importance of: building social capital, working with the third sector, communities co-creating and co-delivering services, harnessing community assets and using place-based approaches. Community-led health approaches have empowerment at their core, establishing the priorities of communities and, together with communities, developing ways of addressing these priorities. Moreover community-led health organisations tend to have the knowhow and experience when it comes to building people’s confidence and skills to enable them to take part in improving the health of their communities. Community-led approaches also help to tackle power inequalities that can only be challenged if people have control over their lives and what happens in their communities. Knowing Me, Knowing You: A Learning Exchange between National and Local Organisations Addressing Health Inequalities (Tuesday 19 August 2014, New Register House, Edinburgh)