Bringing communities together: The continued importance of the Community Links Workers

Director of the Links programme, Roseann, discusses why we need to focus on person centred care, and why the programme is central to this.

One of the things I continue to enjoy about working within the Links Worker Programme is the opportunity to contribute to the wider world of primary care and to be part of initiatives that seek to address the inequalities experienced by some of the most vulnerable people in our communities.

Since 2023, the Inclusion Health Action in General Practice (IHAGP) programme has provided additional funding and support to GP practices serving some of Scotland’s most socio-economically deprived communities. Its main goal is to address health inequalities by enabling practices to deliver more inclusive, proactive, and person centred care. 

Many of the practices, based in and around Glasgow, also have a Community Links Worker (CLW) embedded within the team. From my perspective, the skills, knowledge and relationships that Links Workers bring make them a natural fit for supporting the programme’s three key themes:

• Community connection – building inclusive patient engagement and participation
• Enhancing workforce knowledge and skills – increasing staff understanding of health inequalities and inclusion health.
• Positive outreach and extended consultations – enabling longer appointments and proactive engagement with those most at risk of poor health outcomes.

In January this year, a second-stage evaluation of the IHAGP programme was published, with a particular focus on patient perspectives and lessons for sustainability. What stood out to me throughout the report, especially within the Community Connection theme, was the recognition of the value and impact of Community Links Workers.

Inclusion Health Action in General Practice (IHAGP): evaluation – gov.scot

Many Links Workers have taken a proactive role in developing and leading groups that bring people together across practices and communities. These groups provide opportunities for people to discuss issues affecting their lives, including mental health, loneliness and social isolation. Such spaces are not only important for individual wellbeing but also for helping people develop meaningful connections with others who may be facing similar challenges.

Where Links Workers are fully embedded within GP practices, they can build strong relationships with patients, practice teams and community organisations. Over time, these relationships create trust and support the exchange of knowledge, skills and experience. This helps foster a culture where understanding health inequalities and responding to them becomes everyone’s responsibility rather than the responsibility of one individual or service.

Community outreach is another area where Links Workers can make a significant contribution. Building relationships with individuals and communities takes time, but it is essential if we are serious about reducing inequalities and improving access to healthcare. People who have had negative experiences of services, or who face multiple barriers in their daily lives, often need support that goes beyond traditional models of healthcare engagement.

Looking ahead, I would like to see initiatives such as IHAGP become fully embedded within primary care. The programme has a strong preventative focus and there is growing evidence that it is making a meaningful difference to people, practices and communities. Sustained investment in approaches that address the wider determinants of health is vital if we are to achieve long-term improvements in health outcomes.

I would also like to see longer-term funding commitments for programmes that are clearly demonstrating value. Building trust, strengthening community relationships and tackling complex inequalities cannot be achieved through short-term initiatives alone. Lasting change requires stability, continuity and a commitment to investing in what works.

The IHAGP programme and the Links Worker Programme share a common goal; improving health and wellbeing by recognising the realities of people’s lives and responding to them in a holistic, person-centred way.

As we consider the next steps for inclusion health, there is a clear opportunity to build on what has already been achieved and ensure that these approaches become an integral part of the future of primary care.

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