Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust (WCHC) is proud to be the first NHS organisation in the country to achieve the Social Value Quality Mark, level 1. The Quality Mark recognises values-led organisations that benefit people, communities and the planet. It is one of the most rigorously tested standards of its kind in the UK.
Social value is at the heart of all services provided by the Trust across Wirral, Cheshire East, St Helens and Knowsley. It is about the difference WCHC makes across its local communities, over and above the high quality health and care services it delivers every day.
To achieve the accreditation, the Trust developed a series of pledges to demonstrate its commitment to bringing about improvements from an economic, health and wellbeing, education and skills and employment and volunteering perspective.
Already the benefits are being felt, and social value is playing an important role in the everyday work of the Trust with clear evidence of how social value is making a tangible difference to local people.
WCHC is the first Community Trust in the country to deliver the NHS Cadets pilot programme in partnership with The Hive and St John’s Ambulance. The programme provides 14 to 16-year-olds with courses to develop their leadership skills, first aid training and volunteering opportunities in the NHS.
In addition, the creation of Staff Network Groups has brought employees with shared characteristics together in a safe protected space. They offer a place for staff to safely come together, share experiences and facilitate learning and developments.
The Trust employs over 2,000 health and care staff, has over 100 committed volunteers and over 6,500 members represented by their elected public and staff Governors. It recently received an international accreditation for being environmentally friendly by reducing its carbon footprint and energy consumption as well as its commitment to recycling.
Karen Howell, Chief Executive said; “We are very proud to have received the Social Value Quality Mark at Level 1 as it demonstrates the important role social value has in the Trust and its positive impact on our workforce, our patients, our service users and our communities.
We are committed to working with partners to reduce health inequalities and working with people in their communities to improve their health and wellbeing.
As part of our commitment to social value, we have pledged to build local, resilient communities. We will do this by supporting partnerships and promoting collaborative working. A great example of this is our new development in West Kirby where in partnership with Marine Lake and Estuary Medical Practice and Age UK we are transforming health and care services for local people by improving access to GP, community and specialist health and care services.”
Lynn Collins, Lead Governor for the Trust, said; “This accreditation is a true reflection of the difference teams across the Trust make to the lives of local people and their families. Not only do they provide outstanding care and treatment, they are committed to adding value in terms of access to services, employment opportunities, wellbeing and the environment and I am incredibly proud to be part of Team WCHC”.
