Dudley Strategy for Tackling Health Inequalities 2010-15

Transferring power to communitiesNICE guidance on community engagement recognises that different levels ofcommunity engagement can directly and indirectly affect health in both theintermediate and longer term. „Community engagement approaches which enablecommunities to work as equal partners, or delegate some power to them – or, indeedprovide them with total control – may lead to more positive health outcomes.‟ (NICE,2008a.)During the Health Inequalities National Support Team visit in July 2009, it wasidentified that very few mechanisms exist locally for empowering communitiesthrough democratic means (e.g. town / community Councils), community investment(e.g. Community Land Trusts), or through service provision (e.g. through aHealthcare social enterprise).„In it together‟ supports people to identify the most appropriate level / method ofcommunity engagement according to the purpose of their engagement activity andwill help to ensure that whichever method (mechanism) is used, people undertaking,managing and resourcing engagement activities in Dudley do so in the mostempowering way possible.However, without a shift of power towards individuals and communities it will bedifficult to achieve the penetration of interventions needed to impact effectively onhealth inequalities. (Marmot, 2010)The coalition Government has set out their driving ambition to put more power andopportunity into people‟s hands by „Building the Big Society.‟ This agenda presentsmany opportunities and supports existing work in Dudley which is aiming to increasethe number of people who participate in meaningful engagement and are able tomake a difference. If this agenda is to support progress in reducing the healthinequalities gap we must not underestimate the scale of the challenge ahead.Those experiencing the greatest inequalities are likely to be the least able to solveproblems and improve life for themselves and their communities. While inequalitiespersist, people who have the least will benefit the least from the transfer of powerand responsibility.Energy and commitment to social action underpinned by strong partnership workingand a move towards co-production, whereby providers and users work together inequal and reciprocal partnerships will be required to make sure that everyone canparticipate in a way which will improve their health and wellbeing, and help them tohelp themselves and each other.60