Patient and public voice input into tobacco and obesity prevention

About the funding

This £46,000 grant will support proportionate patient and public voice (PPV) input into national NHS England work on tobacco and obesity prevention. This funding opportunity is designed for a single third sector organisation with an extensive national reach, and established relationships with numerous health and social care charities.

A successful organisation can engage a broad range of groups, including different health conditions, communities, and demographics. It offers a comprehensive perspective that is not limited to one disease, region, or a statutory position like those found in NHS bodies or local authorities.

A strong focus on addressing health inequalities and engaging communities underserved by health and care services, or seldom heard in national policy development, is essential. To make sure priority under-represented groups, populations with higher smoking rates and obesity levels, as well national patient voice groups offering organised patient involvement, you should be able to support access to individuals with lived experience.

Purpose and expected outcomes

Through its networks and PPV expertise, the funded organisation will provide insight, challenge, and recommendations to inform the development and delivery of services relating to tobacco dependence treatment and obesity prevention. This will help ensure that lived experience informs national policy, strategy, planning, and decision-making in a proportionate and meaningful way:

• Small and medium voluntary and community sector organisations will feel included and engaged in national programmes• Policies and services will be informed by the views and knowledge of people with lived experience• Improved access to services for underserved communities• Increased awareness and understanding of the specific needs of these populations• More effective and responsive services.

Strategic outputs

The following outputs illustrate the anticipated scope and scale of delivery over a 12-month period. The exact timing and focus will be determined together with NHS England, so that we align with policy goals and changing programme priorities, making sure resources are used with the most strategic impact.

Insight & Intelligence

• A programme of national insight briefings synthesising lived experience across tobacco dependence and obesity prevention, aligned to policy and service design priorities.

• Thematic insight papers exploring cross-system issues (for example access barriers, culturally competent approaches, or digital inclusion)

• Timely rapid feedback summaries to inform emerging policy discussions and programme development.

Engagement Infrastructure

• Maintenance of a national Patient and Public Voice reference network reflecting geographic, demographic and community diversity

• Structured engagement sessions with voluntary and community sector partners to surface system-wide insight.

• Targeted engagement activity with underserved communities to explore specific barriers and opportunities.

Strategic Influence & Accountability

• Formal contribution to relevant NHS England policy and service design touchpoints across the year

• Clear documentation of how lived experience insight has informed strategy, guidance, or delivery approaches.

• An annual impact summary demonstrating reach, themes identified, and system influence.

Value for money and social value

This grant offers value for money by enabling engagement with communities that the NHS often finds difficult to reach through existing mechanisms. A third sector organisation is uniquely placed to undertake this work using established relationships and trusted networks, avoiding the need for significant additional time and resource.

The grant contributes to social value by supporting wellbeing through more inclusive and effective services, promoting equal opportunities by amplifying diverse community voices, and helping to reduce health-related economic inequalities by improving access to preventive health services.

Applicants should focus on clarity, relevance, and quality rather than volume. Detailed delivery plans, KPIs or formal evaluation frameworks are not required. Please adhere to the character limits for each section, as excess material may not be considered.