Brief description of project

We want to make sure that health messages are accessible to everybody in Leeds. We know that some communities are not getting, understanding, or acting on the messages they need to make informed choices about their health. This project identified key communities in Leeds that we know are struggling to access important information. It aims to understand the barriers for these communities and co-produce accessible messages.

Who did we speak to?

We identified three key communities who are struggling to access, understand or act on key messages:

• People with Learning Disabilities and their carers
• Black British and Black African communities
• People with English as a second language

We engaged with six community organisations and spoke to 64 people.

 What and how did we ask?

We worked with local community organisations to run online focus groups and surveys. We asked people to share their views on key campaigns such as the Covid vaccination and ‘Looking after your mental health’. People were asked if they had seen the campaigns and how we could make these messages more accessible.

What did people tell us?

People had different views although some common themes emerged:

• Most people are receiving some key messages from the NHS
• Many of these messages are accessible
• Some of these messages could be adjusted to make them more accessible
• Using community leaders to promote the messages would increase trust

You can read the report from the engagement below:

What did we do?

We are using people’s feedback to shape the content and format of messages and make them more accessible.

We have produced new resources in a variety of different formats including video, EasyRead and different languages: https://www.leedsccg.nhs.uk/health/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/information-for-local-communities-about-covid-19-vaccine/

We have recruited community leaders from different faiths to support our messages and develop trust with local communities.

How can you help?

You can support your community and the NHS by using and sharing trusted sources of health information. Find the latest health information about Covid here: https://www.leedsccg.nhs.uk/health/coronavirus/

For more information about this project please contact Chris Bridle on leedsccg.comms@nhs.net or call 0113 843 5470.