Case study · Luton Council · 2023
How practical, tailored coaching helped a hospital trust, a wellbeing service and a disability charity change the way they serve Luton's communities, in months rather than years.
3
anchor institutions coached
8,000+
staff in the largest organisation, 40 in the smallest
12
point action plan from one charity
LGA
independently evaluated
Luton is one of the most diverse towns in the UK. During COVID-19, the council's Talk, Listen, Change (TLC) research found that many communities felt overlooked or misunderstood by local services. As part of its Marmot Town approach to health inequalities, Luton Council asked DiverseCT to coach three anchor institutions and test a model other organisations could follow.
Step 1
Agreed issues, timeline and deliverables with Luton Public Health.
Step 2
Chaired by a former LGA chief executive, with the council, University of Bedfordshire, Healthwatch and the institutions.
Step 3
Each organisation's website, record and data reviewed against the TLC findings.
Step 4
Met each organisation's leads to shape coaching around their real priorities.
Step 5
Group and one-to-one sessions for frontline staff, managers and a hospital board.
Step 6
A joint health inequalities workshop so the three could learn from each other.
Step 7
Commissioned through the Local Government Association.
Charity, 40 staff and volunteers
Talking therapies and wellbeing, 60 staff
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS FT, 8,000+ staff
The Health and Wellbeing Board endorsed continuing the approach, with three more institutions lined up. Findings were presented at Luton's Health Equity Town Conference in November 2024. The final report went to several council boards and elected Members.
"A small investment in terms of time of the coaching has quickly turned into some positive evidence-based actions that we can share."
"This has been a catalyst."
"Whilst always committed to the equality and diversity agenda, the support from the project assisted us in reframing how the organisation can weave inequalities into our objectives and service changes."
"Prior to all of this we would have been too scared to do all of that and this has given us the confidence that we can do it."
