Croydon is among 43 areas earmarked for the first neighbourhood health services, in a £10million government scheme.
Change of approach: neighbourhood health schemes aim to reduce hospital admissions and take pressure off A&Es
Lambeth and Southwark and East Surrey are also on the list of areas, under an initiative that sets out to “tackle the nation’s stark and unjust health inequalities”.
The move seeks to shift more health provision through GP surgeries, rather than rely on large hospitals and often their over-stretched A&E departments.
Each of the 43 areas will be allocated a programme lead who will work with existing local services to set up a new neighbourhood health service.
The neighbourhood health approach will draw together a range of professions to develop a team consisting of community nurses, hospital doctors, social workers, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, paramedics, social prescribers, local government organisations and the voluntary sector – “giving people easier access to the right care and support on their doorstep”, the government claimed in an announcement this week.
The NHS said: “Neighbourhood health will benefit patients by providing end-to-end care and tailored support, looking beyond the condition at wider causes of health issues, helping to avoid unnecessary trips to hospital, prevent complications and avoid the frustration of being passed around the system.
“They will initially focus on supporting people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, arthritis, angina, high blood pressure, MS or epilepsy – in areas with the highest deprivation. As the programme grows, it will expand to support other patients and priority groups.”
Working hand-in-hand: Rachel Power of the Patients’ Association
The programme builds on examples of local best practice highlighted in the 10 Year Health Plan, where some patients are already benefiting from a joined-up neighbourhood approach.
The NHS said: “Neighbourhood health will redesign and join up existing health and care services – which currently can be fractured and a maze of referrals for patients. GP leaders will be pivotal in shaping and delivering these new services and will be supported to deliver it with two new contracts from 2026. These will enable them to work over larger areas to deliver neighbourhood health services to the community.”
The GP contracts will divvy up areas of between 50,000 people (a single neighbourhood provider) to 250,000 people (a multi-neighbourhood provider).
In London, in its first year, a community heath scheme lowered A&E admissions by 7% and hospital admissions by 10%.
Ruth Rankine, primary care director and neighbourhood lead at the NHS Confederation, described the change as “a very important shift in how care is delivered”.
She said: “This programme provides a vital opportunity to build on the strengths of local partnerships, community assets and frontline innovation, and we look forward to supporting systems and neighbourhoods in sharing learning, scaling best practice, and ensuring that improvements are inclusive, sustainable and driven by the voices of local people.”
Rachel Power, the chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “Locating services in more convenient places for patients can mean earlier support, quicker diagnosis and fewer barriers to accessing vital treatment.
“Only by working hand in hand with patients can these centres start to reduce inequalities and deliver lasting improvements in care.”
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Funded by Astra Zeneca. I’ve already had my letter inviting me to a “review” of my history, meds etc. This is a Big Pharma data harvesting exercise thinly veiled by the NHS trying to improve the worst performing GP surgeries in Croydon, and mine was at the top for the worst reception staff. I joined that surgery nearly 30 years ago when it was brand new, I was pregnant and my GP was a gynaecologist who had moved her practice from the edge of Lambeth to be near central Croydon and cater for more ethnic minorities. Since she retired its gone steadily downhill. I have a chronic incurable condition and my prescription renewals are frequently late. Reception does not take phone calls anymore, you have to ask to see someone through the website, which does not guarantee the appointment. All the data of people who have chronic conditions or mental health history will be shared with insurance companies.