Health Profession students support Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust initiative

Cambridge Regional College (@CRC_College) has teamed up with the ‘How Are You?’ team at Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust (CPFT) to pilot the H.A.Y Ambassador roles (@HAYCambsPboro), which have been created to support the new mental wellbeing project being delivered across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.

Access to Higher Education: Health Professions students, Teigan Price and Megan Sinfield are the first learners to have been signed up to the Ambassador role. H.A.Y. Ambassadors are volunteers working alongside the existing How Are You team, supporting the project by talking to local people about the digital spaces the H.A.Y team are creating.  The Ambassadors will also connect new groups and activities to the project so they can be added to the project website.

Deputy Principal at Cambridge Regional College, Michelle Dowse, said,

“As a college we are proud to be working with Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust as they roll out this new scheme. The opportunity for our learners to be involved in this innovative project will be invaluable personally, and in respect of their studies, as they develop increasing knowledge about health professions and working in the industry.”

H.A.Y. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough began as part of the Peterborough Community Mental Health Exemplar project. Twelve national NHS-England community mental health pilot sites were chosen with the aim of using innovative approaches to transform community mental health services to provide ‘joined up’ physical, mental health and social care support that is easy to access and meets individual needs close to where they live. 

This new approach acknowledges that mental health challenges can affect every aspect of an individual’s life, so the NHS, local authority, third sector and community organisations are all working together. The Community Mental Health Exemplar aims to create a supportive mental health network for everyone, whether their mental health challenges are mild, moderate, or severe.

Crucially the approach recognises that everyone has strengths, and that local community groups and organisations have a vital part to play in the health and wellbeing of the people of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Through the Peterborough project CPFT co-produced www.HAYPeterborough.co.uk and are now in the process of rolling this work out around each of the Cambridgeshire districts.