News & FAQ

The IMPACT Approach is an Integrated Community Care framework that promotes meaningful participation by connecting people with community opportunities through coordinated health, social care and community action. It provides practical guidance for implementing person-centred and community-centred care in diverse local contexts.

The IMPACT Approach is intended for professionals, organisations and decision-makers working across health, social care and community settings. It can also support community organisations and local stakeholders interested in developing more integrated and participatory models of care.

Meaningful participation refers to people’s active engagement in occupations, activities and social relationships that are personally significant and contribute to health, wellbeing, belonging and quality of life. It is both the central objective and the guiding principle of the IMPACT Approach.

Referral involves directing a person towards a service or community resource. Accompaniment goes further by providing ongoing support, building trust and helping people engage with and sustain participation in meaningful community opportunities.

Not necessarily. The approach primarily seeks to identify, connect and strengthen existing community assets and opportunities. Where gaps are identified, communities may also develop new responses tailored to local needs.

The Community Care Facilitator acts as a connector between people, professionals and community resources. Their role is to facilitate collaboration, support participation pathways and strengthen coordination across sectors rather than provide direct clinical care.

Community mapping helps identify local assets, organisations and participation opportunities. More importantly, it supports collaboration, improves visibility of community resources and contributes to building stronger local care ecosystems.

Yes. The IMPACT Approach is designed as a flexible framework that can be adapted to different populations, organisations and local contexts while maintaining its core principles of meaningful participation, person-centred care and integrated community collaboration.

Integrated Community Care provides the overarching framework for collaboration across health, social care and community sectors. The IMPACT Approach offers practical guidance and implementation strategies to translate these principles into everyday practice.

This Toolkit provides an overview and practical dissemination resources. Comprehensive explanations, conceptual foundations and implementation guidance are available in the IMPACT Approach Manual, which should be consulted for further detail.