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2023-08-01-annual-report

NEW LODGE & DUNCAIRN COMMUNITY HEALTH PARTNERSHIP

TRUSTEES ANNUAL REPORT

YEAR ENDED 31 MARCH 2023

IMPACT OF COVID 19

New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership alongside many community and voluntary sector colleagues are continuing to manage the impact that COVID 19 has had on the vulnerable people which whom they work. The development of blended working approaches has allowed the organisation to manage workloads with regard to in-person, groups, online and telephone provision. Furthermore, these approaches enable flexibility ensuring that the office remains open to the public and that crucial targets are met in a timely manner. As schools and community buildings open their doors again the availability of our services can once again be realized across North Belfast.

The funding situation has been steady over the reporting period enabling monies to hit the ground to address food poverty, digital exclusion, and social isolation through the provision of after schools, mentoring and family support in conjunction with more generalised health promotion activity. These remain areas in which New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership were able to utilize fully to ensure that vulnerable people and families were supported.

STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT

The Management Team of New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership has met regularly over the reporting period to pursue rigorously their responsibility for the overall direction and control of the organisation’s financial stewardship and community led initiatives. Running alongside this Trustees have also embarked on a continuous review of the developments and activities of the Digital Transformation project designed to secure the organisational sustainability.

Over the reporting period the Trustees have continued with their robust review and renewal of risk assessment and governance policies. The day-to-day management of New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership is led by the manager with authority delegated by the board of trustees. In relation to the organisations overall financial control procedures, the charity has in place a comprehensive action plan supplemented by an annual budget approved by the Board of Trustees. Action results are reported against the budget on a bi-monthly basis and projections to year end are reviewed by senior management and the Board of Trustees at an appropriate point of their meeting cycle. The charity’s day-to-day financial processes are governed by the financial regulations outlined in the Financial Policy and Procedures document which is reviewed every 2 years and approved by the Board. The financial policy and procedures are then monitored by the

Management Team and implemented by the nominated staff member during the day-to-day operations of the organisation.

OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

To promote the benefit of the inhabitants of north Belfast (the “area of benefit”), but particularly the New Lodge and Duncairn areas, without distinction of sex, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, or political, religious, or other opinion by associating with the statutory authorities, voluntary and community organisations and inhabitants in a common effort to:

a) Advance health by engaging in health prevention programmes and capacity building, improving self-management skills, and providing health development information.

b) Advance education and training and raise awareness of health issues

c) Relieve those in need by reason of youth, age, ill health, disability or other disadvantage

d) Promote such other charitable purposes as may from time to time be determined.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PERFORMANCE

New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership is one of a growing Healthy Living Centre Alliance, currently with 29 members across the region. Healthy Living Centres [hereafter referred to as HLCs] are tasked with translating high level government policies into accessible and practical community-based initiatives. HLCs’ work across four key health pillars:

· Smoking Cessation

The Public Health Agency [PHA] continues to commission core staff services therefore the Charity must conform to external social policy determinants on health promotion and prevention. The PHA has challenged HLCs’ to focus their activities on key risk factors which can lead to the development of chronic conditions. HLCs’ address key health inequalities within their own localities, applying skills, experience and acquired knowledge to strengthen commonalities and promote best practice across the region. The approach to these and other areas of health improvement is based on achieving high standards in prevention, self-care, and health restoration within a context of social disadvantage.

NLDCHP facilitate several projects designed to address the prevalent health inequalities in North Belfast, these include:

· Tier 2 Family Support services alongside parenting programmes

· Children’s resilience and confidence building programmes in both statutory and community settings

· Belfast Area Outcomes Group- Tier 2 mentoring, home visitation & after school services for children aged 5-12 years with/awaiting an ASD/ADHD or challenging behaviour diagnosis

· Community Food Initiative 2022-24- promoting healthy eating and cooking skills in lowincome families with children up to 12 years. In addition, other food programs have been rolled out in accordance with other COVID contracts such as Transform your Trolley, Belfast Warm, Well & Connected a HLC Alliance initiative in conjunction with Department of Communities and Loughview Community Action Partnership.

· Older people’s programmes- appropriate nutritional information and physical activity to mitigate the impact of COVID 19 and enforced sedentary lifestyles during lockdowns.

· Health events for all ages- supporting community partners to promote healthy living

New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership works in both formal and informal partnerships with community, voluntary and statutory partners across North Belfast. This partnership approach ensures innovative, accessible, and responsive cross sectoral services right in the heart of local communities. Staff within the organisation actively participate in the following partnerships:

· Belfast Area Outcomes Group- North Belfast Community Rep & Locality Planning Chair

· Upper & Lower North Belfast Family Support Hubs- core members

With over 2321 hours of direct community delivery over the last 12 months it’s clear that New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership remains to the fore of health preventative and promotional activity through the delivery of 200 community health programmes supporting 3408 participants over 14588 attendances.

Totals 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 5 year cumulative figures

Programmes 189 202 220 189 200 1107

Participants 5345 4102 3257 3469 3408 24829

Attendances 17227 11570 10661 16032 14588 87345

Hours 1503 2101 4251 5154 2321 15330

Of course, the level of service provided is not clinical in nature nor is it suggested that we are comparing like with like but, rather a more community led holistic approach which invests time and provides support to explore the underlying symptoms as well presenting needs. In adhering to this community-based assets approach NLDCHP seeks to complement the clinical role of primary services, in the hope of providing the level of support necessary to meet and address need and prevent ongoing long term condition management.

On a positive sustainability note New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership have been able to secure funding streams in direct relation to gaps identified in strategic planning processes:

· Awards for All- children’s resilience programmes

· DOH Carers Support Fund [CFNI] to develop the Carer Support Partnership in conjunction with 174 Trust Disability Projects

· Dormant Accounts Digital Transformation Project

The work activity outlined above ably demonstrates that New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership continues to uphold the ethos of a community health development organisation and all service delivery is underpinned by community development principles and values. We are cognizant that community development practice occurs against a backdrop of continual change both positive and negative for individuals and communities- so through programme delivery we try to ensure that we are responding to community articulated need. New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership is clear that its body of work is firmly fixed in early interventions, preventative and health promotion initiatives- understanding clearly that building trust and positive relationships with service users best enables meaningful community

empowerment. Often this essential work isn’t articulated or measured yet is intrinsic to working practice.

FINANCIAL REVIEW

The statement of financial activities (SOFA) and the balance sheet illustrate the financial position for the charitable company.

This year the results of the charity show a net decrease in funds of £41,103 over the previous year, which is largely reflective of long-standing funding awards coming to an end. This outcome was in line with predictions from the financial forecasts given to the trustees throughout the financial year.

During the period, the incoming resources of the charity decreased from £337134 in 2022 to £310,449 in 2023, a decrease of 8%. Total resources expended decreased by 7% between 2021-

2022, these percentages can partly be explained by decreasing funding streams and thereby expenditure. Governance costs have decreased slightly from £11355 in 2022 to £8214 in 2023, amounting overall to 3% of income.

Overall, the SOFA highlights that the results for the year have led to an increase in general funds to the charity of £13,163, so that they stood at £25,229 at the end of the year. General funds therefore represent 8% of incoming resources from continuing activities. Financial forecasting was implemented in 2020-21 to ensure that steady increases to the general fund reserves continue to be made despite the difficult economic climate that pertains.

RESERVES POLICY

New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership has established a policy whereby unrestricted funds not committed or invested in tangible fixed assets held by the charity should be between 13 and 26 weeks of expenditure. Budgeted expenditure for 2023-24 is £249,250 therefore the target is to have between £62,312 and £124,625 in general funds. The reserves are needed to meet the working capital requirements of the charity and the trustees are confident that at this level they would be able to continue the current activities of the charity in the event of a significant drop in funding. The present level of unrestricted liquid reserves available to the charity of £25,229 represents approximately 5 weeks, which is below the lower target level. The strategy is to continue to build reserves through planned operating surpluses but given the present economic difficulties the trustees are aware that there is a body of work to be done in this respect.

RISK ASSESSMENT

The board has an established programme of risk management and mitigation which includes ownership of these risks by the Manager, providing assurances to the trustees that the major risks

which have been identified have been reviewed and that systems and controls are in place to mitigate them. Risks are reviewed across board, operational and project activities at bi-monthly meetings. Identified risks are evaluated, including mitigating activity, and planned future action. These risks are prioritised and major risks to which the charity is exposed are determined and reported regularly to the trustees. In this way the trustees are satisfied that the risk management strategy is appropriate to the charity, and they have gained assurances regarding the effectiveness of the risk management processes adopted. The ongoing risk assessment measures will ensure that our responsibilities towards staff, funders and the service users are carried out to ensure the safety of all as far as possible whilst observing COVID 19 guidelines.

VOLUNTEERS

The community health partnership acknowledges with grateful thanks the support of volunteers who have contributed to the work of the charity. Most of the voluntary activity within NLDCHP is through membership of governance committees. The community health partnership is indebted to each volunteer for their support and remains committed to their continuous support and skills development.

EMPLOYEES

Upholding equality and diversity are key priorities for New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership. Notwithstanding current high staff retention levels the organisation believes it is

important to have an ethically diverse workforce reflecting the communities it serves. New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership promotes best practice in the recruitment and retention of staff. New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership continues to maintain its policy of being an equal opportunities employer and strives to give full and fair consideration to all applications of employment, training, and promotion irrespective of disability, race, gender, colour, age or sexual orientation.

EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT

Regular meetings with staff are held to provide employees with information on matters which may be of concern to them as employees, to consult with them so their voices are heard before making decisions that may affect their interests and to promote a common awareness on the part of all employees of the financial and economic factors affecting the performance of the charity.

PLANS FOR FUTURE PERIODS

The Trustees have completed a review of their successful Strategic Plan for 2020-23, which realized the following achievements:

· Organisational re-brand to ReachOut Healthy Living Centre

Work on the forthcoming strategic plan for 2023-26 is underway and the focus for the future is listed below:

The trustees will achieve these aims by continuing to deliver against the New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership Strategic Plan 2023-26.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE TRUSTEES

The Trustees (who are also the directors of New Lodge Duncairn Community Health Partnership for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Trustees Annual Report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.

Company law requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year. Under the law the Trustees have elected to prepare the financial statements in accordance with United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice (United Kingdom Accounting Standards and applicable law). Under company law the Trustees must not approve the financial

statements unless they are satisfied that they give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and the income and expenditure of the charitable company for that period.

In preparing these financial statements the trustees are required to:

§ select suitable accounting policies and apply them consistently

§ observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP

§ make judgements and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent

§ state whether applicable UK Accounting Standards have been followed, subject to any material departures and explained in the financial statements

§ prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in operation.

The Trustees are responsible for keeping adequate records that are sufficient to show and explain the charitable company’s transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the

assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.

In so far as the Trustees are aware:

§ there is no relevant audit information of which the charitable company’s auditor is unaware; and

§ The trustees have taken all steps that they ought to have taken to make themselves aware of any relevant audit information and to establish that the auditor is aware of that information.

AUDITOR

PKF-FPM Accountants Limited are deemed to be re-appointed under section 487(2) of the Companies Act 2006.

Registered office: Signed on behalf of trustees

206 Duncairn Gardens

Belfast

BT15 2GN

William Hutchinson