Barking and Dagenham is set to benefit from a £1.1million boost to tackle health and wellbeing inequalities across the borough.



The funding has been secured from the North East Health and Care Partnership, in a joint bid led by Barking and Dagenham Council, health partners and local community organisations.



The money will deliver a range of programmes across communities and local services. This includes funding local community leads to ensure a greater voice from residents in decision making, making NHS services more accessible through the Council’s community hubs across the borough, a scheme to help people suffering debt and the risks to health it can cause, and an initiative that funds GP surgeries to identify people with a higher risk of manageable conditions (such as COPD, diabetes, and hypertension).



It will also fund community projects to improve children and young people’s mental health and an initiative for families of children 0 to 5-years-old who are at the greatest risk of developmental delay. 



Councillor Maureen Worby, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health Integration, said: “This money will allow us to continue to build on lots of fantastic and important work that has been taking place, as well as introduce new, targeted schemes to help the people who need our help.



“Barking and Dagenham is one of the most deprived areas in the country, which is why schemes that combat health and wellbeing inequalities are crucial and why we’re delighted to have secured this additional funding.”



Avril McIntyre MBE DL, Director, Community Resources, representing BD Collection said: “BD Collective was pleased to represent community organisations in Barking and Dagenham to develop and secure this funding. The COVID pandemic has shown us the importance and ability within communities to help themselves, and this funding will allow us to build on that to ensure more communities organisations have the support they need.”



The North East London Health and Care partnership is one of the new integrated care systems introduced across the country under the new Health and Care Act as a way of bringing together providers of NHS services, local authorities and other local organisations to drive changes that deliver a more joined-up approach to care for the population.