Download a PDF of the above Core20PLUS5 infographic

The Core20PLUS Connector Programme funds integrated care systems (ICS) and place-based initiatives to recruit, mobilise and support influential community connectors to take practical action to improve health and reduce inequalities in their area.

It builds on learning from many other community-based initiatives and ‘connector’ roles including vaccine champions, peer advocates and social prescribing link workers.

Connectors are those with influence in their community who can help engage local people with health services. Offering unique insight into the barriers people living in their communities’ face, connectors are ideally placed to advise local NHS services on how these can be overcome and what makes a good service.

Pilot sites have been selected to take part in wave one and two of the programme.

Projects are taking places across all seven regions in England and encompass the five clinical areas of focus outlined in the Core20PLUS5 approach:

• maternity care
• severe mental illness
• respiratory disease
• cancer
• cardio-vascular disease

Targeted at different population groups, projects include:

• supporting ethnic minority groups to make lifestyle changes
• increasing engagement with maternity services among Gypsy, Traveller and Roma communities
• scaling up connectors programmes in left behind neighbourhoods (areas of high deprivation)
• increasing annual physical health checks for those with severe mental illness
• boosting hypertension case finding among those with learning disabilities.

You can read more on the FutureNHS platform (log-in required).