Millions of people across the country are set to benefit from improved care closer to home, as the government begins to roll out new neighbourhood health services.
Each of the initial 43 areas will be allocated a programme lead who will work with existing local services to set up a new neighbourhood health service.
The leads, using General Practice as the cornerstone, will draw together a range of professions to develop a ‘neighbourhood health team’ consisting of community nurses, hospital doctors, social care 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.
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 the 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 cohorts.
The programme builds on examples of local best practice highlighted in the 10 Year Health Plan, where some patients are already benefitting from a joined-up neighbourhood approach. This scheme will bring the best of the NHS to the rest of the NHS.
The wave one programme is backed by £10 million and will begin on 9 September 2025 with the ambition to scale up more services over the course of the next year. This first wave will cover 43 sites across England, from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the South West to Sunderland in the North East, ensuring communities nationwide can benefit from these new services.
“We are building an NHS fit for the future, one that fits around people’s lives and is an integral part of their community,” said Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting.
“Neighbourhood health services fundamentally reimagine how the NHS works – bringing care closer to home while helping to tackle this nation’s shameful health inequalities.”
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