How our IMPACT Programme supports integration

• Written by: Ken Milroy MBE — Aberdeen Foyer — Chief Executive
• Published: 17th June 2018

Ken argues that self management needs to be at the heart of the plans of Scotland's integrated health and social care partnerships.

“I was referred to the Foyer’s IMPACT programme in February last year by my GP. I had suffered a stroke and had difficulties with my left arm and leg as well as problems with my speech. I had a severe lack of confidence in myself. I felt low most of the time and lonely. I contemplated suicide on a number of occasions and wasn’t leaving the house.

Since joining IMPACT I’ve turned my life around – I participate in regular arts and crafts workshop sessions and love working with textiles. I now help our tutor with new group members when they join the sessions. I also help at IMPACT’s allotment. It’s great to be outdoors with others growing our own fresh fruit and veg. I’ve even started to tidy up my own garden at home which I have neglected for too long. I have a new group of friends that I see regularly, I have significantly reduced my visits to the GP and am no longer in and out of hospital. I’m thinking about volunteering in my own community before going back to work part time. I still have bad days, but if you’d seen me a year ago – I’m a different person.”

Jo, IMPACT Member

Jo’s story is not unusual.  Many if not most of those who have participated in Aberdeen Foyer’s IMPACT self-management initiative have significantly improved the quality of their lives.

In 2017 some 159 referrals were made to IMPACT.  Of these, 99 engaged in the programme and, to date, 22 have successfully moved on as volunteers, into education and a few have gone into work.  Change needed to be stimulated and supported but has brought extraordinary results for those involved.

The Foyer’s work has been recognised by others.  In 2016, IMPACT was awarded Self-Management Project of the Year by the ALLIANCE.  In 2017, IMPACT won the Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership HEART Award for Enablement (Empowering People) Award.  That same year we also won The Herald Society Health and Social Care Integration Award.

IMPACT has changed the way Aberdeen Foyer works with others involved in health and social care – we are a respected delivery partner; we are given opportunities to speak at events; showcase our work and to share our successes.

Like other areas of our work, greater emphasis is placed on early intervention and prevention.  IMPACT is a non-medical intervention for those who have experienced long term health issues such as anxiety, depression, personality disorder, trauma and self-harm.  The programme has demonstrated just how self management can bring about changes.  It is about the quality of life – a sense of purpose, a sense of worth, a sense of community and ultimately a sense of ownership – it’s not something you can get from a GP’s prescription. You have to work at it.

IMPACT also aligns with Scotland’s House of Care : it is a great example of how community-based resources and assets are part of the wider ‘health and care environment’ that people live within.  The foundation of the house is “more than medicine”, representing these wider community resources.  Aberdeen Foyer is such an asset for the people of Aberdeen, and also supports the left wall of the house – namely informed and empowered individuals who are better able to manage their own health.

Health and social care integration is the biggest, and arguably, most complex public service reform we have seen to date.  Perhaps the biggest change we need to see through reform is a shift from crisis intervention to longer term prevention strategies that cut across public policy – health, social care, education, employability, and community development.

IMPACT is a powerful example of what can be achieved through limited resources, promoting a self management approach.  Integration Joint Boards across Scotland need now to draw on the successful examples of this approach and embed it in their future plans.  Organisations like the ALLIANCE can also play a key role by showcasing the work they have invested in and in helping to broker relationships between Integrated Joint Boards and effective initiatives like IMPACT.

Aberdeen Foyer can be found on Twitter at @aberdeenfoyer (this link will take you away from our website).

Ken’s Opinion is part of the ALLIANCE’s ‘We Need To Talk About Integration’ anthology which is available at the link below.

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