Lewisham Integrated Neighbourhood Teams - Co-designing with lived experience patients

Have you used NHS services, care for someone, or have experience with long-term health issues? Your voice matters to us. Please come and join us and let’s work together as partners to make care better for all in Lewisham!

We are creating Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs), where Lewisham partners are working with the local community to make sure everyone gets the right care, at the right time, and in the right place.

What are Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) and what they want to do

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) are borough partners (health and social care professionals, housing, etc) who work with local people and communities, particularly those with lived experience of the various parts of health and social care services, whether for themselves or for others. The main INTs aims are:

1. Help people stay healthy: INTs focus on preventing health problems before they start, offering help early, and providing care when people need it.
2. Make care work better: INTs want to make sure different health and support services work well together so people don’t have to repeat themselves or feel confused when they need help.

What is "co-design" and who can join?

Co-design means creating something together with the people who have lived through that experience. We need your help to design how the new health services will work! We join together, share experiences in order to make sure everyone gets the right care. The goal is to keep people healthy, make sure their needs are met, and ensure no one is left behind.

We want to work with our communities and residents. We would like to encourage the following groups to apply:

• People from Black African and Black Caribbean backgrounds
• People with complex health conditions
• People who care for others or are receiving care
• People who feel lonely or isolated
• People with disabilities
• People who don’t have access to the internet or aren’t comfortable using technology
• People over 65 years old
• People with limited money, like refugees

What will happen in the co-design sessions?

We will hold 6 to 8 design sessions starting in January 2025. Each session will last 2 hours, and we can offer you a recognising involvement award for your time. You will need to come to at least two sessions.

In these sessions, we’ll talk about things like:

• How to contact patients (text messages, phone calls, letters)
• How to set up group sessions for people with similar health issues
• What happens when someone leaves the hospital or health service

Requirements to join:

• You must be over 18
• You must live in Lewisham borough
• You should be available to attend sessions until March 2025
• You need to attend meetings in person (in Catford area)

Benefits of joining:

• You can get an award that recognises your involvement.
• You’ll receive training to help you develop new skills, like communication and teamwork.
• You’ll get the chance to share your thoughts and help shape healthcare services for the community.
• You’ll meet other people who care about improving healthcare and build connections.
• You’ll have the opportunity to make a real difference by representing your community.

If you want to help create better healthcare services in your community, we’d love to hear from you.

Please read full details of the role outline here or join one of our drop-in sessions to learn about the project and get support for your application.

To join the session or for more information please contact us at LHCPcommunications@selondonics.nhs.uk.

Drop-in sessions

• 20 December 2024 11am-12pm - Online using MS Teams
• 8 January 2025 12-1pm - Online using MS Teams
• 8 January 2025 - Face to face - Afternoon/evening. Venue and time to be confirmed.

Send you expression of interest before Wednesday 15 January 2025.