The new website will give residents easy access to health, wellbeing and social care services.
Greenwich Community Directory was launched this week to serve as a single point of information and advice on services to help people to live well in Greenwich.
Visit the Greenwich Community Directory online at www.greenwichcommunitydirectory.org.uk
Get more involved in your local community
The directory is aimed at Greenwich residents who want to improve their own health, or who are isolated or vulnerable. It is also geared to anyone who wants advice on getting involved in activities to improve their wellbeing or to help you become more involved in your local community. It also offers support to carers, family, friends and those acting on behalf of vulnerable people.
The directory lists council and NHS services alongside some from local voluntary organisations. It also links directly into the online NHS Choices service, allowing residents to find their nearest GP, dentist or pharmacy.
Local voluntary organisations have been trained to support residents – particularly those without access to a computer, or who lack online confidence - in getting the best out of the directory.
"Rich mix of advice and support" available
Councillor David Gardner, the Royal Borough's Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said "The Greenwich Community Directory is designed to help people maintain their independence and wellbeing by giving them easy access to a huge array of services, support and activities across the borough. They can also find out if they qualify for some extra support and build plans to help to improve their quality of life."
"Despite cuts in government funding for local services, there is still a rich mix of advice and support services available in the borough, and the directory aims to help ensure that the people who could benefit most from that support are aware of what's on offer."
"Fantastic, simple tool"
Naomi Goldberg, Chief Executive of Greenwich Action for Voluntary Service (GAVS), said "There's a huge range of support available through the local voluntary sector which can offer enormous benefit to the quality of life for local people. It's great that the directory provides information about that support in a single place, alongside details of services provided by the council and the NHS."
Dr Ellen Wright, Clinical Chair of NHS Greenwich Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "This is a fantastic, simple tool to help people find out what's out there and to give people a choice of activities and support to suit their needs and their lifestyles."
"Patients rightly expect their GP to be knowledgeable about appropriate health services. However, social care and preventative services can be just as important in helping patients become, and remain, healthy, and GPs have an important role in referring patients to those services too. The new directory will make it far easier for GPs to refer their patients to the most appropriate support, whichever organisation provides it."
Get help to explore the directory
The directory will be expanded later this year, allowing residents to complete an online referral form to help establish their level of need for social care and build a wellbeing plan online, identifying their health and wellbeing goals. You'll be able to use this to connect online to services that will help you to meet those goals and to construct a shortlist of services.
Local organisations that can help residents to make best use of the community directory include:
Greenwich Action for Voluntary Service (GAVS)
020 8309 8231; www.greenwich-cvs.org.uk
Greenwich Carers' Centre
0300 300 2233; www.greenwichcarerscentre.org
Greenwich Association of Disabled People (GAD)
020 8305 2221; www.gad.org.uk
Age UK Bromley and Greenwich
020 8315 1878; www.ageukbandg.org.uk
Local libraries
Residents can also get advice on using the directory at any Royal Greenwich library. For details of local libraries visit www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/libraries