Concerns raised that vital health activities provided by Leighton Buzzard community groups could vanish

Vital health-related activities provided by community groups in Leighton Buzzard and other parts of Bedfordshire could disappear without funding, a meeting heard.

Social prescribing focuses on restricting certain health conditions and improving mental health and wellbeing, which attracts funding streams.

But Independent Linslade Central Bedfordshire councillor Victoria Harvey fears for smaller community voluntary groups which run many such events, ranging from art and dance classes to boxing and social connectivity sessions.

“There seems to be more funding for social prescribers, but nothing for the groups which organise these pursuits,” according to councillor Harvey.

In a written question, she asked the BLMK integrated care board (ICB) to increase the funding for prevention, instead of finance being concentrated on GPs and hospitals, with the aim of an overall cost reduction to the integrated care system (ICS).

“Those organisations struggle for funding and often small sums, such as £200, can make all the difference to their survival,” she explained.

“We’re at risk of many preventative occupations of exercise, outdoor activity, Arts, dance and social connectiveness being lost as these groups are unable to survive without finance and close down.”

BLMK ICB chief primary care officer Nicky Poulain replied: “Helping people to stay well for longer is a key priority and we’ll endorse that.

“We’ve an ICB developing programme for prevention and it’s been discussed already with the directors of public health. It’s about integrated primary care and working at that place level.

“In responding to this I’ve spoken to colleagues in the Central Bedfordshire place board and the partnership (ICP) lead. Clearly working with the community voluntary sector is a really critical part of this.

“We’re working to really make the community voluntary sector an equal strategic partner at that place board. We recognise that inequality of social care models and everyone is committed to this as the way forward.

“It’s about really getting to that granular level of streets and neighbourhoods. That’s where we talk about this principle of subsidiarity. The emphasis is we need to ensure we can’t spend money we haven’t got.”

Healthwatch Milton Keynes chief executive officer Maxine Taffetani said: “I echo this across MK.

“It’s a message coming quite clearly from some small groups, which mention they’re being referred to often by social prescribers but lack the capacity for that.

“It’s a real challenge to build relationships and support those really small grassroots organisations living on pennies if anything.”

Speaking after the meeting, councillor Harvey added: “It’s very good the ICS is taking this seriously.

“But how long do the voluntary groups in Leighton Buzzard wait until they get these tiny sums of funding and what will our surgeries do if these groups close down?” she asked.

“There’s a huge amount the local community can do to help with health, but the ICS needs to move fast.

“Otherwise many of these organisations will shut down and all of our care will be aimed at increasingly serious and complex conditions, rather than prevention. This would be so expensive and such a bad use of taxpayers’ money.”