As part of this year’s Inter Faith Week, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) invited representatives from NHS North West London to share how partnership working with local faith centres in Hounslow is helping to improve community health and reduce inequalities.
The presentation, delivered by Sreeparna Roy, Involvement Manager for Hounslow, highlighted how the borough’s pioneering approach to engaging with faith groups has created new and trusted routes into communities that are often underrepresented in traditional health outreach.
First photo: Sreeparna and Sharon Shidara (Bi-borough's Involvemnet Manager) pictured centre with the temple management committee.
Since this year, Sreeparna has led a grassroots approach that connects NHS and public health teams with communities through trusted faith settings, including churches, temples, mosques, gurdwaras and more recently, synagogues.When the work first began, public health teams and voluntary sector partners noticed that conventional outreach methods were not reaching certain groups and people. Some residents felt targeted or stigmatised, which made it difficult to build meaningful engagement. The ICB team recognised that faith centres offered a unique opportunity to connect with communities in a way that feels inclusive, familiar and safe for everyone.
The first major health event, held in March 2025, attracted around 250 residents. Since then, the programme has grown steadily. Regular sessions at temples now welcome up to 300 people, and the partnership with local mosques has reached as many as 4,000 attendees. Events include blood pressure checks, falls prevention advice, and information on key health topics such as cervical, bowel and breast screening.
Gurdwara management committee and ICB partners- public health, oral health, vaccination co-ordinator and Imperial Healthcare NHS Trust.
Each event is co-designed with the host faith centre to ensure that it is culturally appropriate and welcoming. Female staff members are present wherever possible, and interpreters or multilingual volunteers support residents who speak limited English. Dedicated spaces are also provided for women who prefer privacy or separate settings for health discussions.
This approach has strengthened trust between residents, faith leaders and health services. The initiative is supported by a wide range of partners, including the council’s health outreach team, NHS trusts, Healthy Hounslow, and local voluntary and community sector organisations.
During the UKHSA event, attendees praised the initiative’s impact and asked how it might be adapted across other areas. Questions focused on how cultural practices and gender differences were taken into account, and how faith or community champions could help promote health programmes.
Sreeparna shared reflections on behalf of the ICB team, explaining that success has come from careful listening, collaboration and consistency. She added:
“When people feel respected, heard and represented, they start to trust us. That is when real change begins”.
Less than a year since its launch, the Hounslow faith centre engagement programme is being recognised as an example of inclusive, community-led health promotion. Attendees at the UKHSA session agreed that it offers valuable learning for other areas looking to build meaningful partnerships with faith groups and reduce health inequalities.