Our community in Frome and the Frome Medical Practice have been shortlisted in the national BMJ (British Medical Journal) Award for Primary Care Team of the Year.

The BMJ Awards are the leading medical awards in the UK, promoting excellence in healthcare and recognising the inspirational work of healthcare teams across the country.

The practice was shortlisted for its work relating to Community Connectors. Community Connectors are members of the community, who know what's 'out there' and signpost friends, family, colleagues and neighbours to support, if needed. They provide a bridge between local people and services, building community knowledge. Anyone can be a community connector and the team at Health Connections Mendip deliver training to people wanting to be able to share learning and information about what's available with their wider community.

Dr Helen Kingston is the senior partner at the Frome Medical Practice. "It is a huge honour and achievement to have been shortlisted ,' said Dr Kingston. 'It is a fantastic recognition of how Health Connections Mendip has been working over the past few years. This is a very large feather in the cap not only for Julie Carey-Downes and her team at Health Connections but also for both Frome Town Council and Mendip District Council, reflecting their great support and commitment to the scheme."

'"The training we are able to provide gives individuals the knowledge and the confidence on how to help friends, colleagues and neighbours," said Julie Carey-Downes of Health Connections Mendip. "By creating a more active and empowered community, everyone is a winner. From a small start we now have 1500 Community Connectors across Mendip, each touching the lives of 20 other people, with around 30,000 supportive conversations taking place as a result."

The BMJ Awards ceremony was due to take place in April this year but was postponed and eventually rearranged as a Virtual Awards Ceremony, which took place on 7th October.

For more information about community connectors click HERE : the Health Connections site