How to set up a community partnership

We introduced our community partnership scheme in 2009 with the following aims:

• to provide reduced fee treatments for groups, organisations or businesses that are in the local area and/or whose staff or user group would further our charitable work
• to increase community awareness of the work and services of the school
• to develop reciprocal relationships with groups, organisations or businesses that benefit both partners.

The partnership fee is approximately 25% less than the standard rate for treatment which is a significant saving - currently £16 as opposed to £22, the standard rate for treatment.

Our community partners benefit from the opportunity to support the wellbeing and health of their members or employee, offering them the access to high quality osteopathic care at a rate significantly below that charged by private osteopathic practices. There is no cost to any partner associated with entering into an agreement and no minimum commitment with regards to the referral of patients to the clinic.

Currently we have a broad range of organisations signed up to the partnership, including the Young Vic, Crossroads South Thames Carers, Look Ahead Housing and Care and Southwark Council to name a few.

The basis of each agreement is very simple.

• We provide reduced fee consultations for your employees or members
• We promote our service to your employees or members through the provision of leaflets, posters, website or intranet copy and newsletter stories through to the delivery of talks and demonstrations where appropriate
• Where relevant we also negotiate discounts with partners so that there is a reciprocal benefit to our staff and students - such as with the Aya Theatre Company, where BSO students and staff are entitled to a 25% discount on their production ticket prices.

In order for us to make the scheme work it is important that we are able to identify community partner members who attend for reduced fee treatments. Typically, many partners have ID cards for staff, but there are many other possible ways in which we are able to identify partner members for treatment.

If you belong to a patient group, organisation or business that could benefit from such a relationship or would simply like to find out more, please contact: Simeon London, BSO Head of Clinical Practice: 0207 089 5363 or click to email Simeon.