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A community-based initiative which has helped to reduce some patients' risk of having heart disease, a stroke or heart attack has been recognised with a coveted award.

The 'Stronger For Longer' project - delivered by the Integrated Neighbourhood team (North Place) - has been working within some disadvantaged communities in Peterborough, offering patients at risk of cardiovascular disease or falls an alternative path to coming into hospital.

Through research, the team identified and responded to areas of risk, and, along with Primary Care Network colleagues, designed a fully funded local intervention, removing all barriers that can typically prevent some residents from accessing health support in the community.

 

The programme, which ran from October 2025 to May 2026, brought together specialist exercise professionals, pharmacists, Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) partners and local authority services into a single co-ordinated pathway.

Over 10 weeks, specific patients were offered two hourly sessions which were split equally into gentle circuit-based format of exercises and a holistic health approach related to the focussed health challenges.

As the winner of the Quality Award category at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust's recent Outstanding Achievement Awards - members of the team collected their trophy at the Peterborough Cathedral ceremony. 

Liam Rushton, Integrated Neighbourhood Project Manager, said: “We have seen real power in what we have delivered. We understand the pressures in which cardiovascular disease can impact on Trusts across the NHS as a whole, and Peterborough has one of the highest  mortality rates for this disease.

“In just 10 weeks, we have reduced someone's risk of having heart disease, a stroke or a heart attack within the next 10 years. Their quality of life has been improved, and they haven't needed hospital care. The results showed that 50 per cent of those taking part had also made a new friend and as a result were feeling less isolated.”

During the programme:

·       78 per cent of participants lost weight

·       46 per cent felt fitter by the third session

·       89 per cent of Functional Fitness MOT scores improved

·       50 per cent of participants made new friend

Liam (pictured) added: “Supporting people at risk of frailty is a key priority within the Peterborough and East Integrated Neighbourhood due to a growing older population and rising complexity of need. 

“The Stronger For Longer frailty pilot aimed to take a proactive, community-based approach to supporting people through physical activity, nutrition education, and social connection. 

“By focusing on early intervention through physical activity, nutrition education and social connection, the pilot aimed to improve quality of life, reduce future falls and hospital admissions, and support ageing well in the community. It aligns with local priorities around proactive care, tackling health inequalities, and enabling people to live independently for longer.

“Winning this award is fantastic recognition the team, the project and for what we know is an important topic to be addressed.”

Dale Parnell, Health and Wellbeing manager at Vivacity in Peterborough, added: “Our goal is always to keep people more active and healthier, and that doesn't have an end. That can only continue and we will always look at ways of how we can refine it.”

For more information on the work of North Place, visit North Integrated Neighbourhoods | CPICS Website

The Stronger for Longer team collecting the Quality Award at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust's Outstanding Achievement Award ceremony in Peterborough Cathedral earlier this month.