Golborne and Kensal Town may remember the date of 18th January 2024.
More than fifty people gathered in the hall of St Thomas’s Church Kensal Town – from thirty community organisations, borough departments, health care providers, and passionate individual backgrounds.
Probably you have already read (here) Golborne Medical’s community ambitions for the new GP and Community premises which will come to Kelso Cochrane House on Kensal Road (W10 5BJ) in late 2024 or early 2025.
We sounded a starting horn and asked each other: “How can this new Centre become valuable to local people?” and “What contribution could I or my organisation make?”
In fact, we talked so vigourously that there was a moment when no-one could get the room to shut up. Happily, on hand was our patient Anna – in her mid-80s and fresh from the weekly Surgery walk with Meanwhile Gardens – to inject her authority into proceedings.
Imagine
Imagine NHS Primary Care that creates health with local people instead of at them.
Imagine collective endeavour to connect GP services with the energies and expertise of local people and organisations – and vice-versa.
Imagine smart, fun and human ways of making connection and improving health amid much disadvantage and health inequality.
You know the ways we mean. The ones everyone sees flitting past the window but which, nose to the institutional grindstone, we despair to catch hold of.
We have a once-in-a-generation chance to create community health and save the NHS money in North Kensington. We will show a replicable model for preventative health.
You can see why we are excited.
We are excited because of you. In the truer spirit of the NHS, “we are all of us”. And this is health.
The work is already started
From small beginnings, great things. Or better: already it is those many small things which are great.
Already – in partnership with North Kensington Recovery and aided by an NHS England Legacy and Health Equity Partnership grant – our children and young people are being offered doctor-led health checks that are followed by in-depth conversations with Link Workers in the Surgery, facilitated by our superb local VCS partners Family Friends. Much hidden need is being uncovered and children are now receiving all-round support.
Already – using seed-money lodged by Golborne Medical with Meanwhile Gardens Community Association for the Golborne Collective at the new Centre – people living with Multiple Sclerosis in North Kensington are meeting at twice-monthly Mutual Support Breakfasts at the Venture Centre. Remarkable local people are finding community while they live with this often isolating health condition.
“Low hanging fruits” hang in clusters for picking in local health. If you have not yet, please be in touch and get involved.
And thank you
Thank you to those who came last week. We will be in touch individually to follow up with you on your superb ideas and offers.
Thank you to those who have responded even if they couldn’t make it on the day. We will be in touch.
Thank you to our patients and to all local people who are getting involved.
Thank you if you have read this far.
And don’t be strangers.
