Communications and Engagement Activities to: build confidence, manage expectations and increase uptake

Live document: due to fast moving operational programme Updated regularly at borough and SWL level in liaison with LA, NHS, Healthwatch and voluntary partners Communications and Engagement Team

April 2021

Bringing together Croydon, Kingston, Merton, Richmond, Sutton and Wandsworth

1 Covid vaccination – community engagement approach

2 Areas and populations of interest

Merton has an estimated population of 211,787 residents. Significant social inequalities exist within Merton. The eastern half has a younger, poorer and more ethnically mixed population, with more areas of high deprivation. The western half is whiter, older, and richer.

Populations of • Communities in areas of deprivation interest • Communities with Ghanaian, Polish, Somali, Tamil, Gypsy, Roma and Traveller backgrounds Focus wards • East Merton; esp. Figges Marsh, , Lavender Fields, St Helier. • Gypsy, Roma and Traveller population in .

Source: English Indices of Deprivation https://imd2019.group.shef.ac.uk/ last accessed 10/09/2020

3 Communities are we prioritising for engagement outreach work

Informed by the EHIA local intelligence, and advice from with borough comms and engagement groups (comms/eng leads from Councils, Healthwatch, Vol sector, and NHS). We will prioritise engagement with those communities who are eligible for the vaccine, from communities experiencing inequalities and where we know uptake is likely to be lower. Of note: • Minority ethnic communities

• People who live in areas of high deprivation/low income

• Older and vulnerable people

4 Engagement objectives with communities in Merton

Through local conversations, with local health care professionals and champions we will: • Provide up to date information about the vaccine • Clarify the process for how and where individuals will be offered the vaccine • Listen to and understand local concerns and rumours – address directly where possible – capture and feedback where necessary • Reinforce message that the NHS is still here for people to access • Co-create messages • Develop culturally appropriate community materials

5 Engagement with vaccine hesitant communities

Four ‘swim lanes’ of activity - supported by communications with staff, stakeholders & print/broadcast media

1. Community engagement – NHS led

- Work with voluntary sector to host 2. Community partners & influencers – partner led community conversations to provide latest evidence about the vaccine, hear local stories and gather insight. - Hold smaller focus groups to allow - Work with Local Authorities and PH 3. GP practice engagement – GP led for rich and ongoing dialogue teams strong local networks to host engagement - Work with key local influencers -Work with PCNs/GP practices 4. Social media (health and care professionals, faith leaders, community champions, prioritising those with low uptake to offer support to GPs ‘3 attempts’ – pharmacists) to lead and host - Develop culturally relevant content conversations for us, to build trust and with individuals offered vaccine by: provide confidence in the vaccine. - running dedicated sessions with featuring trusted community influencers (GPs/Nurses, faith - Fund and support voluntary sector to decliners/ wider practice population leaders, community champions) do outreach work in communities -signpost to community sessions or community champions for 121 - This content used for paid-for - Work with local partners and targeted ads to people in low-uptake community influencers to share facts conversations and respond to rumours / false - Work with practice link post codes – on digital devices, social information. workers/social prescribers to have media and other digital channels. 121 conversations - Different languages & formats - Local radio and local BAME media - - Proactive and responsive posts on social media (Facebook & Next door) 6 How we are delivering this engagement in Merton (1)

• Guided by Merton C&E group, sessions are run locally or across boroughs where communities cross borough boundaries (e.g. for people from particular ethnic backgrounds or with specific conditions) • Learning and building upon earlier Flu Vaccine and Winter outreach, both attending existing meetings and setting up dedicated events: – With particular community groups (e.g. people with minority ethnic backgrounds, Older people and those experiencing health inequalities such as people with learning disabilities) – In specific locations (e.g. areas of high deprivation and from specific PCNs) – People who live with particular conditions (e.g. hypertension, diabetes) • Developing local community champions to reach into seldom heard communities

• Work with the voluntary sector (hold briefing sessions) to engage with the above cohorts on our behalf and feedback any concerns • Maximising our reach through the contacts and networks of our health and care partnership and borough communications • Working with a cohort of clinical and local champions, trusted by local communities, to help provide factual updates and answer questions.

• Content updates issued each week through community networks at borough level – key messages & common questions

7 Local approach – being iterated with local partners

• We are focusing on strengthening the connections with formal and informal leaders in our populations of interest across the partnership.

• We are recruiting to a roster of local clinicians, nurses and pharmacists - whose backgrounds are reflective of our populations of interest, to lead on delivery of the outreach.

• Delivering sessions at existing meetings and setting up dedicated meetings where appropriate. Arranging for interpreters where necessary. We are delivering key facts about the vaccine, followed by a Q&A session; • With local community and voluntary organisations • With Community Response Hub advisers • With staff and volunteers of local community and voluntary organisations

• Through engaging with local communities via the Covid-19 vaccination: your questions answered webinars, attendees suggested, via a poll, it would be helpful to run similar sessions with a focus on; • Specific localities - focussed east and West Merton sessions • Women's health • Carers • Mental health • Vaccine hesitancy in marginalised communities

8 Local approach – being iterated with local partners

• Taking an intergenerational approach to tackle areas of interest identified by the Young Adults COVID-19 Community Champions (YACCC). • Engaging with young residents aged 18-30, who share their experiences, concerns, ideas, and support the COVID-19 response work. • We delivered an initial dedicated session to discuss the COVID-19 Vaccination programme with the YACCC group and heard further engagement sessions would be helpful. • We are co-designing engagement sessions with local authority colleagues

• We are partnering with Public Health to support vaccine uptake through the Merton Covid-19 Champions. So far there are 153 Merton Covid-19 Champions. • We held a dedicated session on the Covid-19 vaccine with the champions and are continuing to attend the weekly champion drop ins; to continue answering questions about the vaccine and note any particular areas of concern or discussion points.

• We are adapting engagement sessions, based on learning, to make sure they are appropriate for each group. • Co-creating content based on community interests and signposting to services of interest: Community Response Hub and Merton Covid-19 champion scheme.

• We are also working with community and voluntary organisations to ensure slides presented are suitable and appropriately adapted for each engagement session.

9 Building confidence: examples of virtual engagement

Engagement sessions with Q&A sessions with local clinicians Community workshops community groups Merton Ethnic Minority Centre

Sunshine Recovery Cafe

Wimbledon Guild

10 Merton: work to date

Date of Who supported the session? Numbers Who are we engaging with/Type of Name of organisation session attended community group? Ethnic Minority Centre 17/12/2020 Nisha Surendranathan 24 Minority ethnic communities Wimbledon Community All communities; Community and voluntary group 11/1/2020 Engagement lead only 7 Association #1 representatives. All communities; Staff & volunteers who respond Community Response Hub Engagement lead only 11/1/2020 7 to the community response hub calls and Team meeting communicate with all communities. All communities; Covid-19 champions can be any Merton Covid-19 Champions 13/1/2020 Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Nisha individuals who live or work in Merton and their 35 (Organised by Public Health) 12-1pm Surendranathan role is to cascade messaging through their own networks. Merton Covid-19 Champions 13/1/2020 Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Kieran Casey- 19 As above (Organised by Public Health) 7-8pm McEvoy All communities; Community and voluntary Merton Patient Engagement Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Nisha 14/01/2021 20 groups representatives, local Merton services, Group Surendranathan Merton residents. Wimbledon Community All communities; Community and voluntary group 15/01/2021 Nisha Surendranathan 4 Association #2 representatives. Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Fiona White, Surendranathan, Nisha Surendranathan. LD/Carers; Parents and carers of an individual Merton Mencap 19/01/2021 22 Panel also included colleagues from with a learning disability. Merton LD team.

11 Merton: work to date

Date of Who supported the session? Numbers Who are we engaging with/Type of Name of organisation session attended community group? Sunshine Recovery Café (SRC) 21-Jan-21 Dr Mohan Sekeram 7 Mental Health; Staff, volunteers and members of the SRC – who work in the Sunshine Recovery Café Focus 4 1 Mental Health Voice Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Nisha 26-Jan-21 17 Mental Health/BAME Forum Surendranathan Age UK 27-Jan-21 Dr Aditi Shah, Nisha Surendranathan 17 Older people

Wimbledon Guild (members) 28-Jan-21 Nisha Surendranathan 23 Older people Wimbledon Guild (staff and Older people; Staff/volunteers – who make 1:1 28-Jan-21 Nisha Surendranathan 10 volunteers) calls with members of the guild. Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Dr Mohan 145 (78 on Sekeram, Dr Aditi Shah, Dr Mohammed youtube live Covid-19 your questions 31-Jan-21 Ayub, Dr Adil Siddiqui, Fiona White, stream and All communities answered webinar PART 1 Sedina Agama 67 on zoom call) Mental Health Mental Health Forum 2-Feb-2021 Nisha Surendranathan 28 Wimbledon Guild (members, Older people; members Staff/volunteers – who 2-Feb-2021 Dr Aditi Shah, Nisha Surendranathan staff and volunteers) 33 make 1:1 calls with members of the guild.

12 Merton: work to date Date of Who supported the session? Numbers Who are we engaging with/Type of Name of organisation session attended community group?

Acacia centre families drop in #1 03-Feb-21 Dr Aditi Shah, Nisha Surendranathan 4 Families/pregnancy Merton council Hub –updating dedicated with helpful information ongoing n/a Merton council staff and other externally approved resources (videos, Q&As etc) Merton council – Pulse survey 4-17 Feb-21 N/A Merton council staff Families/pregnancy; staff who communicate with Acacia centre 05-Feb-21 Nisha Surendranathan 23 families. All communities. Planning with Shree Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Dr Mohan 81 (45 on Ghanapathy temple, Wandsworth Community Covid-19 Vaccination: your questions Sekeram, Dr Aditi Shah, Dr Mohammed zoom and 36 7-Feb-21 Empowerment Network and Merton Mutual Aid. answered PART 2 Ayub, Dr Adil Siddiqui, Fiona White, on youtube All communities; Members of mutual aid - Sedina Agama live stream) Facebook group has 3000 members. Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Fiona White, Merton Vision 10-Feb-21 6 Visually Impaired Nisha Surendranathan. 10&11-Feb- Merton council – CEO briefing Merton council Merton council staff 21 Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam. In attendance Purley Masjid and Al Khaleel Institute 13-Feb-2021 will be healthcare professionals from all 6 Approx 47 Muslim Community SWL boroughs.

13 Merton: work to date

Date of Who supported the session? Numbers Who are we engaging with/Type of Name of organisation session attended community group? Polish community Polish Family Association 15-Feb-2021 Sedina Agama, Dr Marek 22 Merton council staff (with Community & Housing, w/c 15-Feb- Children, Schools & Families and with our BAME Merton council Live Q&As Merton council 21 colleagues via the Race Equality Network (our internal employee forum) Young Adult Covid-19 Community 17-Feb-2021 Dr Mohan Sekeram 22 Young Adults Champions Approx 21 St Helier 2040 22-Feb-2021 Planned by Community Action Sutton St Helier community (tbc) 23 All communities Health and Social Care Forum 24-Feb-21 Kate Symons Afro Caribbean Community – Why 24-Feb-21 Sedina Agama 163 Afro Caribbean Community Vaccine Hesitancy Carers Carer Support Merton 25-Feb-21 Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Sedina Agama 3 Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Fiona White, Care Home Staff 12 Care Home Staff in Merton 25-Feb-2021 Nisha Surendranathan.

14 Merton: work to date Date of Who supported the session? Numbers Who are we engaging with/Type of Name of organisation session attended community group? Covid-19 Vaccines & Vaccine 01 March tbc Social Prescribers and Link Workers Hesitancy for SPLWs 2021 Dr Mohan Sekeram 03-March 18 Organised by the Merton Council SEN schools 2021 Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, 09 March Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Sedina Learning Disability, Carers 53 LD Forum 2021 Agama, Fiona White 10 March Engagement lead only 31 Wimbledon Guild 2021 Elderly community All communities; Covid-19 champions can be Merton Covid-19 Champions any individuals who live or work in Merton and Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam 34 (Organised by Public Health) 12- 10 March their role is to cascade messaging through their 1pm 2021 own networks. All communities; Covid-19 champions can be Merton Covid-19 Champions any individuals who live or work in Merton and Engagement lead only 12 (Organised by Public Health) 12- 10 March their role is to cascade messaging through their 1pm 2021 own networks. Ghanaian Community. Planned by Ghana Union UK in partnership with Ghana Nurses tbc Association UK, Western Region Association of COVID-19 and the vaccines. 12 March Nurses UK & Nightingale Nurses Association Impact on chronic diseases 2021 Sedina Agama UK. Tamil speaking engagement event on Covid Vaccine & other key 13 March Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Fiona White, 73 health issues 2021 Sylvia Garry, SWL representatives Tamil Community 14 March Dr Ahmad and Team at Gloryland Pentecostal Ministries. Hosted by tbc COVID vaccination 2021 Surgery Rev Joseph Apraku 15 Merton: work to date Date of Who supported the Numbers Who are we engaging with/Type of Name of organisation session session? attended community group? Merton Centre of Independent 16 March Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Nisha Sensory Impairment, Learning Disability, Mental 9 Living 2021 Surendranathan. Health, Physical Disability, Carers Faith and Belief groups; forum is attended by a number of groups in the borough including representatives from; Baitul Futuh Mosque, Buddhapadipa Buddhist Temple, Christian faiths, 10 Humanists UK, Islamic Community Centre, Shree Ghanapathy Hindu Temple, 16 March Society of Friends (Quakers), Wimbledon Faith and Belief Forum 2021 Dr Mohan Sekeram Mosque and Wimbledon Synagogue Covid-19 vaccine engagement with the homeless community. Session 17 March Dr Marek Jarzembowski, Fiona 3 Homeless Community. Co-planned with Public in Polish 2021 White Health and Faith in Action. 17 March Dr Mohan Sekeram and East Patients of East Merton PCN. Individuals who 34 East Merton PCN Engagement 2021 Merton PCN leads have declined the COVID-19 vaccination Vaccination against COVID-19: a 18 March clearer picture 2021 Sedina Agama Nigerian Community Covid vaccination, truths, myths, 21 March The Methodist Church. Ghanaian Methodist hesitancy 2021 Sedina Agama Fellowship UK and Ireland Asylum Seekers. Co-planned with Public Health Covid-19 vaccine engagement with Nisha Surendranathan, Fiona 2 and clear springs ready homes. Informed by the homeless community. Session 24 March White, Sedina Agama, Dr Marek Care for Calais. Homeless Community. Co- in English 2021 Jarzembowski planned with Public Health and Faith in Action. 0 (changed the time of Engagement with Ready homes future sessions to Asylum Seekers. Co-planned with Public Health (Asylum Seekers). Session in 24 March help encourage and clear springs ready homes. Informed by English 2021 Jallal Jimali, Fiona White attendance) Care for Calais. 16 Merton: work to date Date of Who supported the session? Numbers Who are we engaging with/Type of Name of organisation session attended community group? 25 March Carer Support Merton 2021 Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam 11 Carers 25 March Wimbledon Community Forum 2021 Fiona White 25 Residents and Councillors 30 March Community Forum 2021 Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam 38 Residents and Councillors Engagement with Ready homes Asylum Seekers. Co-planned with Public Health (Asylum Seekers). Session in 31 March and clear springs ready homes. Informed by Persian, Farsi, Dari 2021 Jallal Jimali 1 Care for Calais. Merton Centre of Independent Sensory Impairment, Learning Disability, Mental Engagement Lead only 10 Living 01 April 2021 Health, Physical Disability, Carers Peer Learning session for SPLWs: Covid-19 Vaccines & Vaccine 22 Hesitancy. 09 April 2021Dr Mohan Sekeram Social prescribers and Link Workers Sssion for SP/LWs: Covid-19 Vaccines & Vaccine Hesitancy. 14 April 2021Dr Mohan Sekeram Social prescribers and Link Workers All communities; Covid-19 champions can be Merton Covid-19 Champions Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, 24 any individuals who live or work in Merton and (Organised by Public Health) 12- their role is to cascade messaging through their 1pm 14 April 2021 own networks. All communities; Covid-19 champions can be Merton Covid-19 Champions Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, 5 any individuals who live or work in Merton and (Organised by Public Health) 7- their role is to cascade messaging through their 8pm 14 April 2021 own networks.

17 Planned future sessions

Who is planned to support Date of Who are we engaging with/Type of community Name of session the session? outreach group Engagment with Gypsy Roma Traveller - Attending site 26 April 2021 Fiona White Gypsy Roma Traveller Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Dr Merton College 28 April 2021 Mohan Sekeram Young People Dr Vasa Gnanapragasam, Fiona Merton College 05 May 2021 White, Dr Mohan Sekeram Young People Covid-19 your questions answered - session for Carers 07 May 2021 TBC Carers. Co-planning with public health. Town Community Trust TBC TBC Mitcham school cluster - Parents, Carers and Young People Muslim Women of Merton TBC TBC Muslim Women Community Acacia centre families drop in #2 TBC TBC Families/pregnancy Ahmadiyya Muslim Community session for Women TBC TBC Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – Female session Ahmadiyya Muslim Community for Men TBC TBC Ahmadiyya Muslim Community – Male session Covid-19 your questions answered - session for Polish Community TBC TBC Polish community

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