The Health Exchange is, we believe, the most innovative development in delivering “Choosing Health” in Birmingham.

The Health Exchange approach moves us away from health as either disease prevention or cure to a “fully engaged” model of health as a choice, which is available to and accessible by all.

The hub of the Health Exchange is at Birmingham’s Central Library, the busiest UK city library serving all sections of our highly diverse population. The Hub team consists of a Hub Manager, a graphics service and a procurement specialist. Community sites have been established in various types of community venues (see Community Sites list for more details). They are the link with the community which makes the Health Exchange unique. It will work with the communities as equal partners to change the ways they get health information, advice and support.

Community sites are managed by a “local champion”, from the host organisation, supported by the Health Exchange team and the range of services outlined below.

The key innovation is the exchange of ideas and practice between health workers and communities. This will happen through residents becoming members of the Health Exchange. They can then develop a personalised service for themselves and others in the community, using a mix of on-line resources, the public access points and Health Exchange staff and supporters.

At the Community sites we will offer:

• Resources – both printed and on-line, supported by a dedicated resources team at the hub in the Central Library.
• Publicity, marketing and awareness for health campaigns.
• Membership of a network across the city, supported by our hub in the centre.
• Health promotion support; access to health promotion campaigns, resources and specialist support.
• Training for members of the community to become health supporters.
• Access to development trials for new services.

Currently we have Community sites in the north of the Heart of Birmingham region and our hub in the Central Library. These Community sites are just the beginning. Over the coming months we are working to expand into the south of the region. It is anticipated that eventually clients will be able to access the Health Exchange via a number of other routes – pharmacies, businesses and so on.

The way the Health Exchange develops in the long term will be led by what the communities we are working with need and expect from us.

With the support in place to enable the Community sites to deliver effective service to their communities, the Health Exchange is ready to support groups running programmes for obesity, smoking cessation, breast-feeding and teenage pregnancy (amongst others) to the communities in the north of the Heart of Birmingham area.

If you find an area where you feel you cannot access enough information we can work with you to develop new information resources.

We are now in the process of building a programme of public health campaigns and support services across the Heart of Birmingham region for the coming year (see enclosed Programme of Events). Our aim is to create a balanced programme of mainstream public health initiatives and community specific support programmes.