Now launched: PHP Community Impact Fund.

A fund to help GP surgery patients and communities through social prescribing is now open to applications.

County Durham Community Foundation will manage the PHP Community Impact Fund for the region. The idea was piloted last year in Lincolnshire and Scotland, and funded by Primary Health Properties PLC (PHP).

Full details of the fund, and who can apply, can be found here.

The Foundation’s national membership body, UKCF, set up the fund.

Rosemary Macdonald, CEO of UK Community Foundations, commented:

“After a successful first year supporting communities in Lincolnshire and Scotland, it’s great to see the PHP Community Impact Fund reaching new areas in 2022. We are thrilled to be continuing our partnership with PHP, helping them to connect more deeply with the communities they serve and enabling them to provide funding for the vital social prescribing programmes which do so much to promote patient wellbeing.”

Harry Hyman, CEO of PHP added: “We are delighted to be continuing our partnership with UK Community Foundations, to promote and deliver our grant award programme for 2022. Following our successful pilot program in 2021 working with Foundation Scotland and Lincolnshire Community Foundation we are excited to be extending the programme into the North West and North East regions of England targeting some of the most deprived areas where we hope

As last year, the Fund will support:

  • Social and charitable activities and services linked to the patients and communities of PHP tenants
  • Existing social prescribing referral services and the establishment of new services
  • Initiatives to improve the health and wellbeing of patients and communities served by PHP buildings
  • Projects which advance the education, promotion and protection of good health within the communities served by PHP buildings.

The Community Impact Fund is available to support services delivering the social prescribing model to improve patient wellbeing outcomes, improved quality of life and emotional wellbeing. In 2021 grants supported counselling services, dementia support, art therapy, gardening and outdoor activities and family and young child support across Scotland and Lincolnshire