Through our camapigns and outreach work we want to be able to reach as many of our local residents as possible. We know that using word of mouth and trusted community organisations are a powerful and effective way of informing and building understanding.
Throughout the year there will be some projects which we are able to comission some local community groups/organisations in each borough to help us with our outreach work.
Below you will find the projects that we are currently seeking expressions of interest from local community groups/organisations for:
Applications are now closed.
Thank you to organisations who have submitted applications, these are now being reviewed and you will be contacted shortly (4/03/2024).
Introduction:
The NHS in North West London is launching a targeted initiative to address low MMR vaccination uptake among children in our eight London boroughs. To achieve this, we are seeking partnerships with community organisations to facilitate education sessions and promote vaccination within specific communities experiencing lower vaccination rates. This initiative aims to address health inequalities and improve vaccination rates, particularly among communities facing higher health risks.
Campaign focus:
- Data-driven approach: Utilising data to identify communities with low MMR vaccination rates among children, segmented by ethnicity.
- Community engagement: Partnering with organisations representing these communities to conduct educational sessions aimed at promoting vaccination, dispelling myths, and emphasizing the benefits of MMR vaccination.
- Collaborative vaccination efforts: Following educational sessions, our vaccination Roving Team will go in to the community to administer vaccinations to individuals who express interest in receiving them.
Funding opportunity:
- Organisations serving communities with low MMR vaccination uptake will have the opportunity to apply for funding through this Expression of Interest process.
- Funding will support the delivery of targeted education sessions and outreach efforts within specific communities.
Target communities:
Whilst we want to reach as many children as possible, we know there are certain groups and areas where we need a particular focus, including:
- Communities identified through data analysis as having low MMR vaccination uptake amongst children.
- Areas of high deprivation where there are often poorer health outcomes.
- Populations that would consider themselves seldom heard and perhaps mistrustful of healthcare organizations.
Support and resources:
- Funding will be provided to selected organisations to conduct education sessions tailored to their communities, emphasising the importance of MMR vaccination and addressing any concerns or misconceptions.
- The NHS will provide support and guidance throughout the process, including assistance with vaccination logistics and co-ordination with the NW London vaccination toving Team.
- Printed materials in multiple languages, as required, to support outreach efforts and provide additional information to parents considering vaccination for their child.
Measurement of success:
- Success will be measured by increased MMR vaccination uptake among targeted communities, as evidenced by post-session feedback and vaccination data.
- Organisations will be required to report on outreach activities, participant engagement, and vaccination uptake as part of the evaluation process.
- Simplified reporting template to be provided to streamline the process and focus efforts on outreach.
Application process:
- Organisations interested in serving communities with low MMR vaccination uptake are invited to submit expressions of interest detailing their proposed approach and the specific communities they aim to engage.
- Organizations or groups must specify the amount of funding required up to a maximum amount of £5,000 (in exceptional circumstances higher amounts may be considered if there is a strong evidential argument for additional resources).
- All applications will be considered in conjunction with the available funding and which areas are considered to be a priority.
- Successful applicants will receive funding to support their outreach efforts and facilitate vaccination uptake within their communities.
Application deadline: Expressions of Interest must be submitted as soon as possible but no later than midnight 03 April 2024.
Please use this link to submit your bid for MMR/measles children vaccination campaign.
Thank you to all our community groups that supported this work.
More information on how your feedback has helped develop this work will be shared soon (August 2023).
Background
NHS cancer screening programmes can help to diagnose cancer or risk of cancer earlier and improve the likelihood of successful treatment. There are three national cancer screening programmes in England.
- Cervical screening
- The NHS cervical screening programme in England is offered to people with a cervix aged from 25 to 64. Routine screening is offered every three years up to 49 years of age and every five years from 50 to 64 years of age.
- Breast screening
- Breast screening is offered to women aged 50 to their 71st birthday in England. You’ll be invited for screening within three years of your 50th birthday
- Bowel screening.
- men and women aged 60-74 are sent a home testing kit every two years to collect a small sample of poo to be checked for tiny amounts of blood which could be caused by cancer.
Screening tests can detect a problem early, before you have any symptoms. Finding out about a problem early can mean that treatment is more effective.
What we are looking to fund – how you can help
Screening rates vary across NW London and we are keen to hear from as many residents as possible to understand the barriers to attending screenings. This will enable us to shape future activity to provide reassurance, to enable residents to make informed decisions about their healthcare and to hopefully increase screening rates in the area leading to improved health outcomes.
With our funding we are looking to commission a number of groups/organisations in each borough to help us gather feedback.
We are looking to provide £1-3,000 per organisation but will consider higher bids if you are covering multiple areas or groups.
The funding is specifically for activity which will explore barriers to attending the three national screenings. This could include events, community conversations, online activity etc.
Who do we want to reach - Audiences and demographics
We want to reach as many people as possible. As outlined in the background above, the groups entitled to attend screenings are:
Cervical screening – All women aged 25-64
Breast screening – All women aged 50-71
Bowel screening – All men and women aged 60-74
How we will support you - Training and resources
If you are successful in your funding bid then we will invite you to a webinar where we will talk through our key messages and share our existing resources with you.
We anticipate being able to provided printed materials to explain about how to get screenings, in different languages, so this does not need to be factored into your funding plan.
You will also be provided with a point of contact for any queries that arise during the project.
How will be measure success – reporting and evaluation
You will be expected to evidence the activity you have undertaken and provide a report outlining the verbatim feedback you’ve heard during your outreach work.
Templates will be provided and we will keep this as simple as possible to ensure that the majority of your time is focussed on delivery.