Data reported by NHS charities suggests that at least 100 projects have been created in Wales as a result of an appeal which was launched as the nation went into lockdown.
In March 2020 NHS Charities Together launched their record breaking Covid-19 Urgent Appeal, raising £162 million. It aimed to support hospital staff and volunteers, patients, and communities.
Funds have been distributed to every NHS trust and health board charity to tackle problems created or worsened by the pandemic. As well as addressing urgent and immediate healthcare needs, this included providing over a million NHS staff – two thirds of the workforce – with counselling, rest areas and other support, and helping more than 600,000 patients access better care.
Hywel Dda Health Charities were supported to promote community cohesion and boost vaccine uptake among racially minoritised groups, by sharing health messages through outreach projects across three counties in West and South West Wales.
The outreach project has reached more than 10,000 people through initiatives such as Wellbeing Walks, which promote community cohesion, encourage exercise, and provide an opportunity to share health messages.
The programme also helped increase uptake of Covid-19 vaccination among individuals from racially minoritised groups and improved access to healthcare services and communication support. The project improved connections with groups the NHS can find harder to reach and increased visibility of service providers in the community.
Sandra Mitchell, Community Development Outreach Team Manager at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said:
“The COVID-19 Urgent Appeal funding has had a positive and continuing impact on the wellbeing of diverse communities and vulnerable groups across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
“What worked so well is that the project provided opportunities to engage with communities and bring people together to talk about their health and wellbeing, and to learn more about the support local NHS services can provide. The project created important connections which will help us share health messages and promote wellbeing.”
Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together, said:
“Despite the whole nation struggling to deal with the impact of the pandemic – whether that was losing loved ones, adjusting to new ways of working or dealing with the psychological impact of increased restrictions to freedom, it was heartening to see such huge generosity from so many people, who collectively raised over £160 million. Five years on, the impact of that funding is still making a difference to patients, communities and NHS staff – including right here in Wales.
“Projects have done everything from creating community-based opportunities to deal with the mental health crisis, and addressing issues related to health inequalities, to providing professional support to help NHS staff cope better with the demands of their roles. We are so grateful to every single person who contributed, and continue to strive for a future with a thriving NHS and the best possible healthcare for everyone.”
