The pioneering Altogether Better self-care project, which has successfully trained and supported people in local communities to become volunteer Community Health Champions, is the overall winner of The College of Medicine’s 2013 Innovation Award.

Watch a short film about their work here

Altogether Better Champions work in a variety of healthcare settings across the Yorkshire and Humberside region including GP practices, diabetes units and emergency departments. They work to support people in improving their knowledge, confidence and motivation, enabling them to better manage their conditions and to make positive lifestyle changes. Results of a recent analysis have also demonstrated significant cost savings for the NHS from this approach.

Alyson McGregor, Altogether Better Director said: “We are thrilled to receive this award from the CoM on behalf of the many Champions who are pioneering new ways of working with GPs and other health service providers. These growing partnerships are creating the right conditions for people to manage their own health and wellbeing.”

Dr Michael Dixon, College of Medicine Chairman, said: “Altogether Better is pushing the boundaries of care into the heart of communities. Only by embracing this kind of evidence based approach to healthcare can we succeed in creating a modern and sustainable NHS that puts patient needs first.”

More about the project

Find out more of the practical detail of how Altogether Better works on our Innovations Network pages.