Funded by the Department of Health East Midlands to support implementation of the national carers strategy, two projects have successfully taken place in the region to improve early access to information, advice and support for carers in primary care health settings.

Practice Based Commissioning (PBC) consortia were invited to submit innovative proposals costing up to £25,000, to improve support for carers of people with longterm conditions. This recognises the pivotal role that primary care clinicians have in identifying and supporting carers, both in terms of their own health and in helping patients to maintain their support network in the community.

To support the transformation of social care services in the region, the East Midlands Joint Improvement Partnership (JIP) funded a programme that contributed to developing local social care markets. Leicester City Council chaired and led the East Midlands Commissioning and Market Board which oversaw its development and implementation.

Multi-functional building in Spalding built with true commitment to the community

Led by South Holland District Council through the East Midlands Property Alliance (empa) a £5.75 million mixed-use building in Spalding, Lincolnshire has been built that uses local contractors, employs local people and ultimately benefits the local community.

Through the local recirculation of money it is estimated that the South Holland District has benefited by over £18 million.

A project through the East Midlands Property Alliance (empa) to refurbish the catering facilities and add a Food Technology extension to Woodstock Primary School in Leicester, successfully took place despite challenging circumstances and tight timescales.

In just sixteen weeks, Interserve Project Services Ltd completed the £421k project, upgrading two dining halls, a kitchen and serving area, as well as building a brand new food technology extension block measuring 25 square metres. For ten weeks of the project, the school was fully operational and the work completed without any disruption to the teaching staff and children.