Social value

Social value is not a standalone initiative or a separate strategy at CPFT.  

Our approach is embedded across our Trust strategies and a number of programmes, including our work on sustainability, workforce, volunteering and partnership working. These all recognise that healthcare alone cannot address all the factors that shape health and wellbeing of our wider population .  

For example, Social Value is one of the four Health Equity priorities in terms of focusing on the wider positive impact CPFT creates through its role as an employer, purchaser, landowner, partner and provider of healthcare services:  

In January 2026, CPFT was awarded the Social Value Quality Mark Bronze Award, recognising the positive impact we have on our local communities.

Achieving Bronze is an important milestone, but not the destination. We are continuing to embed social value across CPFT through our Social Value Action Plan, strengthening how we measure  our impact and working towards SVQM Silver accreditation in 2027 .  

As Chief Executive Steve Grange said: " The award reflects our commitment to use our resources, employment power and partnerships to improve the health and wellbeing, health equity and financial, social and environmental circumstances of people living in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ."  

An anchor institution is an organisation that is rooted in its local community and has the size and spending power to make a real difference to the people who live there.  

CPFT is one of the largest employers in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. That means the choices we make go well beyond the care we provide ; w ho we employ, where we buy from, how we use our buildings and who we work with all affect the health and wellbeing of local people.  

We want those choices to leave our communities better off. That means creating jobs and training opportunities for people who live here, spending money with local businesses and charities where we can, caring for our environment, and helping to reduce the gaps in health and opportunity between different areas.  

Working together across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough  

CPFT is proud signatory of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Anchor Partnership Charter , alongside local NHS organisations, councils and universities.  

Together, we've made a public commitment to use our combined strength to create social, economic  and environmental benefits for local people here: CP Anchor Partnership Group Charter- Signed by CPFT CEO 2025.pdf [pdf] 127KB

Here are some examples of how these commitments make a difference.    

Connecting people with community support  

The How Are You? (HAY) programme was developed to help people find local activities, services and support that can improve wellbeing and reduce social isolation. Co-designed with people with lived experience, it recognised that good mental health is shaped by much more than healthcare alone.  

Working with community groups, local authorities, voluntary sector organisations and NHS partners, HAY helps people connect with local opportunities and support within their communities. Local coordinators build relationships, promote community resources and help improve awareness of what's available across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough.  

Learn more: How Are You Cambridgeshire and Peterborough | H.A.Y. Home  

Why is this social value? HAY creates benefits beyond the direct delivery of healthcare by strengthening communities, improving wellbeing, supporting inclusion and helping people access local sources of support before they reach crisis point.  

Citizens Advice caseworkers on inpatient wards  

CPFT works in partnership with Citizens Advice to provide dedicated caseworker support for patients on inpatient mental health wards at Fulbourn Hospital and the Cavell Centre in Peterborough.  

Citizens Advice caseworkers support patients with issues such as benefits, housing, employment and debt, helping them address practical challenges that can affect recovery and wellbeing. By providing support before discharge, the service helps people access advice and assistance at a time when they may otherwise struggle to do so.  

The initiative was developed through collaboration between CPFT, Citizens Advice and partners across the Trust, and has already supported dozens of patients with a wide range of issues.  

Learn more: Contact us - Citizens Advice  

Why is this social value? This partnership addresses the wider determinants of health by helping people access support with financial, housing and employment challenges. It improves wellbeing, reduces inequalities and strengthens collaboration between healthcare and community organisations to improve outcomes beyond direct clinical care.  

Supporting patients through community partnerships  

CPFT's Butterfly Service, p a r t of our volunteering team, and Head to Toe Charity are working in partnership with Tilbury Douglas, whose staff are donating their time to help prepare and wrap gifts for Butterfly patients.  

As part of the initiative, colleagues from Tilbury Douglas will meet Butterfly volunteers and learn more about the support provided to patients and families. The partnership brings together local business, charitable giving and volunteering to create positive experiences for people receiving holistic support .  

Learn more: Service detail | CPFT NHS Trust , Head to Toe Charity | CPFT NHS Trust , Tilbury Douglas Volunteer | CPFT NHS Trust  

  Why is this social value? This partnership uses the time, skills and goodwill of a local employer to support patients and families, strengthen community connections and create benefits beyond the direct delivery of healthcare.  

Building skills, confidence and wellbeing  

The RCE Wellbeing Hub is CPFT's Recovery College, offering free courses and learning opportunities to adults across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. People can enrol directly without a referral and choose the courses that are most relevant to them.  

Courses are co-designed and co-delivered by people with lived experience, healthcare professionals and trained facilitators. They focus on building confidence, knowledge and practical skills to help people understand and manage their own health and wellbeing.  

The programme supports hundreds of learners each year and works closely with community organisations and local partners to deliver sessions within local communities, helping people access support before problems escalate.  

Learn more: RCE | CPFT NHS Trust  

Why is this social value? The Recovery College helps people build knowledge, confidence and self-management skills that support wellbeing beyond traditional healthcare. By providing accessible learning opportunities, promoting inclusion and drawing on lived experience, it helps strengthen individuals and communities while reducing barriers to support.  

Our impact in numbers  

We track our progress using a set of measures, so we can see the differences we’re making and where we can do more  

Examples include…  

Creating opportunities through apprenticeships  

During the year ending March 2026 , 45 apprenticeships were started and 46 completed . Follow-up data shows strong outcomes, with existing staff remaining employed after completing their apprenticeship and new apprentices progressing into employment within CPFT, elsewhere in the NHS, and further training opportunities.  

A major local employer  

More than four in five of our 5,000 colleagues live in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. T his means jobs, skills and spending power remain within the communities we serve, helping to support the local economy while strengthening our connection to local people and places.