Charities’ role supporting communities during the Covid pandemic “remains under-recognised and under-valued by the health system and decision makers”, academics warn.

They also say that the wider public continues to under value charities' role during the health crisis.

The findings have emerged from a study into the contribution of charities, community and faith groups and social enterprises (VCFSE) amid the health crisis and vaccine roll out.

They found that they were “crucial” in helping the unmet healthcare needs of marginalised communities in Greater Manchester, where the research is focused.

The charity sector’s networks “stepped up to help address these challenges”, say researchers, which includes an academic team from the University of Manchester.

Charity support included helping address the “frustration, fear and loss of faith in the healthcare system from people within these communities, who felt they were not supported sufficiently by mainstream services”.

Providing food and care packages to vulnerable households, offering food bank services and online support, as well as supporting people impacted by homelessness were among ways charities helped.

Running vaccine pop-up sites in community spaces, such as mosques and children’s centres, also took place.

They also provided specialist support to help groups including refugees and sex-workers.

Academics are calling for health systems and politicians to learn from the role of charities during the pandemic to create “more inclusive, community-driven solutions in future health crises”.

“Not only did VCFSE organisations and community-led networks provide significant health and wellbeing support to people across Greater Manchester, but they also played a pivotal role in building trust within hard-to-reach communities to help boost vaccine uptake,” said the study’s lead author Stephanie Gillibrand.

“The value of this work needs to be recognised and learned from so steps can be taken to remove the current barriers within the health system that are stifling effective joined-up working with VCFSEs.”

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