Bringing health closer to you

Healthwatch Southwark worked with Community Southwark and the Community Health Ambassadors Network. The Bringing Health Closer to You survey gathered responses from 97 residents across Southwark to better understand awareness of Tenants and Residents Association (TRA) services and identify opportunities to strengthen community health and wellbeing. The survey responses provided a clear picture of both the challenges and opportunities within the community.

Findings show that awareness of TRA services remains low, and participation in existing activities is limited. However, this does not reflect a lack of interest. On the contrary, residents expressed strong enthusiasm for using local spaces for health and wellbeing activities.

This work aligns closely with the direction of the NHS England 10-Year Health Plan, particularly its focus on prevention, early intervention, and delivering care closer to home through neighbourhood-based models of care. It also aligns with the work of Community Southwark, including the Premises Project, which aims to strengthen access to community spaces for the Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS). 

At its core, this project demonstrates that trusted, local spaces already exist within communities. With the right coordination between VCS organisations, Community Health Ambassadors, and local health systems, these spaces can play a significant role in improving health outcomes and reducing inequalities.