As the VCFSE lead for health across the North Locality, Witton Lodge Community Association (WLCA) takes a proactive lead to ensure Erdington and Sutton Coldfield residents get a say in how they are cared for.

Two recent Community Voice Health Workshops gave residents and partners the chance to find out more and get involved in the future of healthcare planning. The events also served as a bridge between healthcare providers and the public to showcase the way services are being shaped to be delivered across our community in the future.

WLCA is working in partnership with the NHS and Birmingham City Council’s Public Health on a number of key projects to evolve healthcare across the North Locality of Erdington and Sutton Coldfield constituencies.

Frailty and Vaccinations

Led bySimon Field from Birmingham Community HealthCare NHS Foundation Trust, the workshops were held at the Trinity Centre in Sutton Coldfield and Perry Common Community Hall in Erdington and focussed on key issues such as frailty (care for the elderly) and vaccinations.

Frailty: With an aging population, understanding frailty is crucial to discover how the community can better support older adults to maintain their independence.

Residents shared their lived experiences and highlighted a need for better transport to appointments and more localised exercise programmes to improve mobility.

Vaccinations: The vaccination workshop focused on education and accessibility. It allowed participants to discuss concerns about seasonal flu jabs, COVID-19 boosters and childhood immunisations.

It also looked at the barriers to vaccinations perpetuated by

Consultation is key

Jo Townsend, Communications and Community Engagement Manager at Witton Lodge, helped to facilitate both events.

She said: “Being community-led is in our DNA at Witton Lodge, and we make sure that ethos shapes everything we do. What made these sessions so powerful was the genuine consultation with people from across Erdington and Sutton Coldfield who could share their lived experience.

“It is never about talking at people or simply presenting information, it is always about listening and making sure everyone feels informed, involved and valued. Through these workshops, we heard their honest views on what is and isn’t working, and crucially, how together, we can make things better. We’re excited to see how the feedback received at events like this will influence how health plans evolve across our communities.”

Working Together for Better Solutions

Attendees included representatives from Age Concern Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield Town Council, Birmingham Mind, Our Place Support, Erdington Men’s Health Group, Spurgeons, My Time Active and Number 7 Arts.

One commented: “It’s not just about getting help or medicine, it’s about knowing that if I’m struggling to get out of the house, there’s a local system in place that understands this and can react and support me before it becomes an emergency.”

Colleagues from the West Midlands Combined Authority were also in attendance at both workshops to talk about their new project AI for All, which looks at ways of using technology to improve people’s access to health information and services.

Putting People First

Afzal Hussain, Chief Officer at WLCA commented: “When people have knowledge and an understanding of services available in their community, they become the best advocates for their own wellbeing.”

Witton Lodge Community Association is committed to ensuring that the residents of Erdington and Sutton Coldfield are at the very heart of the healthcare conversation. With community-led insights guiding the way, the future for healthcare provision in North Birmingham will look much brighter for everyone.”

Community Voice 

The Community Voice forum, established 18-months ago, brings Erdington and Sutton Coldfield residents together to collaborate and create solutions to issues impacting their communities. Key themes include health, housing, employment and environment.

Members of Community Voice have already established their own independent empowerment group to help social housing tenants, are looking at ways of extending exisiting mental health provision to be able to support more women and have created a youth task force to promote engagement opportunities to young people.

If you would like to be kept up-to-date on the progress of healthcare planning for Erdington and Sutton Coldfield, or would like to get involved in future workshops, please sign up to our mailing list HERE.

If you would like to know more about Community Voice or get involved with the project, please call Steve Sharma on 0121 382 1930 or email: Steve.sharma@wittonlodge.org.uk