Connect North: leading the way to positive health and wellbeing!

The Northern Health and Social Care Trust is revolutionising health and wellbeing through its innovative social prescribing service, Connect North: Your Pathway to Wellbeing, in partnership with Age NI.

Connect North’s holistic approach to wellbeing recognises that social factors like work, finances, housing issues, managing long-term conditions, and feelings of loneliness or isolation are just as crucial to our health and wellbeing as our physical needs. It aims to bridge the gap and connect individuals to the right support services, organisations, and initiatives within their local community to address these social needs and enhance overall wellbeing.

To design the service, Connect North engaged with service users, carers and providers across the Trust area. The feedback was unanimous, as Sabrina Lynn, the Northern Trust’s Health and Wellbeing Locality Lead, explains: “People were telling us they would really value a single, publicly available, accessible online directory of services and activities so they could easily find the support they need in their communities to truly make a difference to their lives.

“During our engagement, we heard that people didn’t know what support was available or where to find it.  This was equally true of citizens, carers, Trust staff and local service providers resulting in those needing help and support being passed from pillar to post to receive basic information and support.

“We knew there was fantastic work happening across the Northern Trust area, and making that information accessible to as many people as possible became a priority for us. This led to the development of our online Connect North Directory of Services.

“We are thrilled to now have this up and running, allowing people to discover the services in their own community through a central information source.”

Support

Users of the Connect North Directory of Services can explore a wide range of activities based on the type of support they need. From carers’ support, financial advice, and bereavement services to options that encourage physical activity or learning a new skill, there’s something for everyone. Results can be localised by postcode, making it easier to see what’s available in your area.

Sabrina adds: “The Connect North Directory of Services is accessible to everyone. People can be supported by a loved one, a carer, a member of their community or a health and care worker to help them find appropriate information and support. This means individuals can receive the support they need at the moment it’s identified, without unnecessary delay or the additional burden of having to re-tell their story.

“If the support needed can’t be found through our Directory, a referral to a Connect North Link Worker might be the next step. Our Link Workers will discuss each client’s needs and concerns to help them connect with the right services and initiatives in their local community, ensuring their social needs are met and their wellbeing is improved.

“Last year, we were delighted to be runner up in two categories at the UK-wide Patient Experience Network National Awards (PENNA). They recognise best practice in patient experience across all aspects of health and social care and we’re really looking forward to building on this success.”

Browse the Connect North directory or scan the QR code

 

 

 

 

 

If you would like to find out more about Connect North or how to refer someone to a Connect North link worker, please contact the team by emailing connectnorth@northerntrust.hscni.net 

6th March 2025