The Collaboratives are not just a volunteer programme. The term Collaborative Change was first used in the NHS Modernisation Agency (1999) to describe a method adopted from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (USA) Breakthrough Service.

The Collaborative approach applies a set of golden rules or Change Principles to issues which are challenging local areas.

They specify how to;

• Address these challenges in order to diagnose the issue
• Co-produce solutions
• Test new ideas
• Implement tested ideas
• Measure impact

Participants are ‘pushed and pulled’ through a series of learning events interspersed with action periods.

Current areas of action include:

• Reducing social isolation
• Encouraging early recognition and action on signs and symptoms of cancer
• Finding people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease
• Raising awareness of skin issues
• Dementia awareness

Find out more about each of our Collaboratives

Older People’s Health & Wellbeing Programme CLICK HERE

Early Presentation of Cancer Symptoms Programme CLICK HERE

Dementia Awareness CLICK HERE

The 5 Principles of Collaborative Change

The theory of Collaborative Change is grounded in evidence and the Care Plus Group Collaboratives are often cited as examples of the approach successfully in action.

1) ENGAGE

We must engage with communities in order to have any type of participation.

2) MOTIVATE

Motivating people to take action.

3) EMPOWER

Participants need to feel empowered to make and sustain change.

4) BUILD TRUST

There must be trust in not only the people, but also the process – open, honest and with opportunity for feedback

5) OWNERSHIP

So many projects have failed in the past because they do not build ownership and sustainability with participant groups. The Collaboratives are not there to run programmes indefinitely but identify need, set up solutions, support the solution and then ensure they can be sustained by the participants.