Health Inequalities Communities of Practice

The Health Inequalities Communities of Practice are bringing together those who work and volunteer with people experiencing health inequalities, from inclusion health groups and/or with protected characteristics in areas of deprivation in towns in Buckinghamshire (e.g., Aylesbury, High Wycombe)

For example – the average life expectancy for a healthy male in the most deprived areas of Buckinghamshire is 63 years old and for a female, it’s 64 years old. Compare this to the least deprived areas where the life expectancy of a male is 70 years old and for a female it’s 72.

What is a Community of Practice and how can it help address health inequalities?
A community of practice (CoP) is a group of people who share a common concern (e.g. health inequality), a set of problems, or an interest in a topic and who come together to fulfil both individual and group goals.
Each CoP will give the attendees the opportunity to learn, share knowledge and experience, and deepen understanding of these complex issues, anchored in day-to-day work.

The CoPs will help to build networks in towns in Buckinghamshire; each facilitated meeting will explore a theme or topic, bringing together those working and volunteering in communities to share lived experience and knowledge.
Topics for past sessions have included:
Multi-Faith Perspectives of Mental Health and Wellbeing
Exploring Health Inequalities
Support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
Trauma-informed approaches to providing support
Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Communities
Alcohol and Substance Use and Addiction
Understanding intersectionalities with faiths and cultures
Domestic Abuse
Active Lifestyles - 'The Miracle Cure'

Suggestions from CoP participants for topics are welcomed and encouraged.
Who should attend?
Who should attend?
Anyone working on the ‘frontline’ in primary care, mental health services, local authority, and the Voluntary, Community & Social Enterprise sector (VCSE), with a common interest in supporting people experiencing health inequalities.

This could include:

Advice workers
Advocacy providers
Foodbank volunteers
Social support workers
Staff and volunteers in faith-based or community organisations
Outreach workers
Homelessness support
Substance misuse support
Refugees and asylum seeker support
Social workers
Community nurses
Community pharmacists
Social prescribers
Health and wellbeing coaches
Care navigators
Mental health practitioners
Probation support

This list is not exhaustive.

This is not a forum for managers or CEOs, but a space encouraging open discussion between those working directly with communities. Individuals will learn from each other, share knowledge, ask questions and explore solutions that will benefit local people.

If you would like to know more about the Health Inequalities Communities of Practice or would like to be added to the mailing list for its upcoming events, please email HealthInequalitiesCoP@communityimpactbucks.org.uk

The Communities of Practice are, organised by Community Impact Bucks and Buckinghamshire Health & Social Care Academy. This new initiative is supported by the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board (BOB ICB)’s Prevention and Health Inequalities funding.

Check out the information also on Community Impact Bucks' website here.

The next Communities of Practice are scheduled for January 2026 and will focus on the VCSE Mental Health Collaboration project.

This is funded by Oxford Health and led by Joy O’Neill at Community Impact Bucks. Joy will share with us details of the work and findings of this collaborative project, including research conversations with over 150 voluntary sector organisations in Buckinghamshire, focus groups, a working group and a Co Creation Day in October. There will also be a discussion about next steps. This will provide an excellent opportunity for us all to think about whether and how outcomes from this project might help us in our everyday work supporting Buckinghamshire residents and how we might become more involved.

In High Wycombe, we'll be joined by speakers from Buckinghamshire Voluntary Sector organisations Countryways CIC at Road Farm and RAFA Halton, who will talk about the support they deliver in the community, as well as writer and entrepreneur Michael Brown who will share his lived experience perspective of mental health and trauma.
In Aylesbury, we'll be joined by speakers from Buckinghamshire Voluntary Sector organisations Mind Over Mountains and Bucks Goat Centre, who will talk about the support they deliver in the community, as well as a member of the project working group who will share their lived experience perspective of mental health and advocacy.

High Wycombe

Friday 16th January 2026

10:20am - 12:30pm

Seminar Room N2.01 (North Wing)

Buckinghamshire New University, High Wycombe

Queen Alexandra Road, High Wycombe, HP11 2JZ

Register to attend this event here

Aylesbury

Thursday 29th January 2026

10:30am - 12:30pm

Buckinghamshire Community Wellbeing (BCW) Hub

Buckinghamshire New University, Aylesbury Campus