Neighbourhood Health

Neighbourhood Health is a new way of delivering health and care services closer to people's homes and communities.

Rather than different organisations working separately, local NHS services, councils, social care, voluntary organisations and community groups will work together to provide more joined-up support around people's needs.

The aim is to help people stay healthier for longer, make it easier to access care, and reduce the need for hospital treatment wherever possible.

Working together to improve care

Neighbourhood Health brings together professionals from different organisations so they can work as one team around local communities.

This includes:

GP practices
community health services
mental health services
adult and children's social care
local councils
voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations
diagnostic and specialist services where appropriate.

By working together, people should experience fewer delays, less duplication and a more coordinated service.

Neighbourhood Health aims to:

Help people stay healthy

We want to improve health and wellbeing by:

supporting healthier lifestyles
identifying health issues earlier
providing proactive care for people with long-term conditions
reducing health inequalities.

Deliver more joined-up care
We want services to work together around each person's needs, making care simpler, more convenient and easier to access.

Reduce pressure on hospitals
By providing more care within local communities, we aim to reduce avoidable hospital visits and admissions, helping hospitals focus on people who need specialist treatment.

Make better use of resources
Working together across organisations reduces duplication, improves efficiency and helps make the NHS more sustainable for the future.

Neighbourhood Health is designed to make it easier for people to get the care and support they need.

This means:

easier access to health and care services
more support available closer to home
better joined-up care between different services
more personalised care based on individual needs
greater focus on preventing illness rather than treating it after it happens
helping people live well and independently for longer.

Neighbourhood Health aims to improve people's experience of care by:

making services easier to access
improving coordination between organisations
helping people stay well at home
reducing unnecessary hospital admissions
improving patient experience
supporting better health outcomes
enabling quicker access to assessment and treatment
making better use of NHS resources.

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams bring together health, care and community professionals to support local people.

These teams work closely with people who have ongoing or complex health needs, helping them to:

receive coordinated care
develop personalised care plans
access the right services more quickly
remain independent for as long as possible.

Because these teams understand their local communities, they can provide care that reflects the needs of local people.

Neighbourhood Health Centres will provide a local base where a range of services work together under one roof.

They will include GP services alongside community, social care and voluntary sector partners, making it easier for people to access coordinated care closer to home.

The ambition is for centres to be open for at least 12 hours a day, six days a week, providing convenient access to local services.

Neighbourhood Mental Health Centres will provide local, easy-to-access support for people living with severe mental illness.

They are designed to provide:

joined-up mental health support
crisis care when it is needed
ongoing relationships with trusted professionals
close working with GPs and community services
support that is available close to home.

The aim is to ensure people receive consistent care without having to navigate multiple services or repeat their story to different teams.