The initiative helps ensure good health and wellbeing in Renfrewshire and has made a huge difference to people’s lives as it brings together various organisations and all 29 GP practices in Renfrewshire.

The project can be best summed up as a way of freeing up GPs’ time so they can focus on acute medical conditions and where intervention by others such as housing professionals would be more appropriate.

The project is a partnership between Recovery Across Mental Health (RAMH) which promotes recovery from mental ill-health, Linstone, voluntary sector organisation Active Communities and is funded by Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership.

In its fourth annual report covering the period to October this year, Community Connectors revealed it had helped 2218 people aged between 16 and 95– almost double the figure of 1281 in the previous year.

The project said this week the soaring level of requests for help confirms the vital role it is having on local lives – especially the last six months when the covid-19 pandemic has defined the way we live.

Linstone helps individuals on any housing issues, and Active Communities have developed ‘Community Health Champions’ who support and motivate people.

RAMH run the Community Link Workers aspect of the project which can refer people to services offering support on such matters as housing, carers’ advice, addiction support, training or help with anxiety and stress. GP surgeries in Renfrewshire now have such ‘Community Link Workers’.

Some eye-catching highlights from the Annual Report are:

• Linstone Housing – through its ‘Health & Housing Hub’ has recorded 212 referrals where it has endeavoured to help with housing – up 15% on the previous year.
• Active Communities Community Health Champions who are volunteers continue to do inspiring work at grassroots level to help others and recorded 5312 engagements with local people. Such work has included training to lead jogging sessions and walking activities and guidance on how to be a volunteer

Councillor Jacqueline Cameron, chair of the Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Integration Joint Board, the main decision-making body for HSCP, said: “This has been an inspiring example of joint working between the Health and Social Care Partnership and third sector partners, and the impact on the wellbeing of local people is clear to see.

“I would like to thank all of the workers involved in the project, particularly for their outstanding dedication over the last few months, and I’m sure the vital work will continue as we move into the next phase of this pandemic and beyond.”

Adele Fraser, chief executive of Linstone Housing, added: “The past few months of an unprecedented health emergency have shown why an interconnected project with the aim of improving health and wellbeing has never been more essential.

“Unsurprisingly, the number of people helped by Community Connectors has almost doubled in a year. I want to pay tribute not just to Linstone’s staff who are involved but to the others from partner organisations who make it a success through their dedication and professionalism.”

A routine visit to his GP unlocked the door to a brighter future for 73-year-old Don Kane. He made use of the Community Connectors initiative and it resulted in him receiving a sheltered housing flat in Johnstone.

Prior to this Don had been living in a top floor Johnstone flat which he had part owned. But with ever increasing age he was finding the stairs a challenge and it was suggested he speak to one of the Community Connectors Link Workers.

That led to Don receiving backdated State benefits to which he was entirely entitled and financial help with energy bills plus assistance in completing an application form for sheltered housing.

He was helped in this energy and housing application process by Linstone Housing assistant Laura Kerr through the Association’s ‘Health & Housing Hub’. Don, who moved into his sheltered home in March, said: “This has been the greatest move of my life. And to think it all started when the Community Connectors project got involved and helped me.

“I had no idea I would be entitled to certain things and I’m so grateful to everyone who pulled together. That’s what is so special about Community Connectors – so many people are there to help with a range of things and I’m very grateful to each and every one of them.”