In order to improve health we need the support of our population to understand the issues which they are facing.

Our Coalition – including our Anchor System Programme – will therefore aim to bring together local people and communities with the health and care system to understand and address the wider determinants of health. This is about making the most of the local assets that we have in our communities.

By galvanising a wide variety of organisations and groups in south east London around a shared purpose we can improve health and reduce health inequalities. The metaphor for this process is a ‘social contract’: this recognises that the system and the population need better ways of collaborating and that we can only achieve this purpose if the intelligence of the population is embedded alongside clinical and public health expertise.

We also see anchor institutes – large employers with strong local roots – as a way in which to deliver change and lasting impact across communities. These have great potential for bolstering local economies, addressing issues of health inequality and embedding practices within the local area. We will seek to establish a South East London Anchors Network that can provide mutual support and leadership where helpful.