Report published: Evaluation of the Community Wellness Outreach programme

Healthwatch Reading
Apr 1
2 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

Our evaluation report, which features recommendations on Reading’s Community Wellness Outreach Programme, is now live.

What is the Community Wellness Outreach programme?

In 2022/23, only 6%* of eligible local people (aged 40–74 who hadn’t had a check in the previous five years) accessed a free NHS Health Check at their GP surgeries. It was also clear that some people from different communities across Reading were not attending their GP at all.

To address this, the Community Wellness Outreach (CWO) pilot programme was set up to bring free walk-in NHS Health Checks directly into local communities by a team of qualified nurses (known as the Meet PEET team (Patient Experience and Engagement )).

While open to everyone, the programme focused on reaching the most vulnerable groups at higher risk of cardiovascular conditions, such as heart disease. This programme was funded by Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB) in collaboration with Reading Council, NHS partners and local voluntary and community sector services.

Healthwatch Reading's role

Once the pilot programme finished, we were commissioned by Reading Council to provide an evaluation of the CWO programme. Healthwatch engagement officers interviewed and surveyed participants in the programme to hear about their experiences. Our evaluation report is now live, featuring findings and recommendations for the future CWO programme.

Click below to read the report and case studies showcasing how the programme changed some local people's lives.