Developing asset based approaches to primary care: best practice guide

Author(s)

INNOVATION UNIT, GREATER MANCHESTER PUBLIC HEALTH NETWORK

Publisher(s):

Greater Manchester Public Health Network, Innovation Unit

Publication year:

2016

This is a practical guide for getting started and growing asset based primary care at scale. It highlights examples of asset based approaches from both within Greater Manchester and beyond. Assets can be broadly grouped into: personal assets e.g. the knowledge, skills, talents and aspirations of individuals; social assets e.g. relationships and connections that people have with their friends, family and peers; community assets e.g. voluntary sector organisations (VSO) associations, clubs and community groups; and neighbourhood assets e.g. physical places and buildings that contribute to health and wellbeing such as parks, libraries and leisure centres. Drawing on research with commissioners, GPs, the community and voluntary sector, public health professionals, patients and the general population, the guide sets out what it takes to make asset based primary care work in practice, and what it would take to adopt it, not just in isolated pockets but across a whole neighbourhood, system or region. It details the background to asset based care, presents ten case studies and makes recommendations for how to develop an asset based primary care in a locality. Key steps to developing and implementing an assets-based approach include: setting up a team to lead the work; understanding which patients to focus on; understanding and mapping the user journey; understanding which approach will work best in a community; creating a development plan for the neighbourhood team; implementing and evaluating the plan; and planning for sustainability. (Edited publisher abstract)