The ongoing roll-out of Nottingham’s Neighbourhood Health Service has been praised for its work which will help the most vulnerable people in the city to live ‘gloriously independent lives.’
Five months ago, the city successfully bid to become one of 43 pioneer areas across England to participate in the first wave of the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP).
The programme, led by the Nottingham City Place-Based Partnership, is trialling new neighbourhood systems for health and care delivery initially focusing on adults living with multiple long-term conditions.
This week, Dr Minal Bakhai, the National Lead for the programme from NHS England, met with the city’s health, care, and voluntary sector to discuss the progress and future plans.
And she said the rollout of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) – a collaboration of partners working together to provide person-centred care – would be fundamental to achieving some core principles of neighbourhood health. These include improving patient outcomes, reducing hospital admissions, and shortening the length of hospital stays.
To date INTs have been launched in Bestwood and Sherwood, and the Sneinton and St Ann’s area.
She said: “It has been amazing to visit Nottingham and learn about the brilliant work that is going on to progress delivery of the Neighbourhood Health Service as one of our Pioneer sites on the NNHIP,” she said.
“The work will identify those who are most vulnerable in communities, those who are at the highest risk of hospitalisation, and co-ordinating services around them by providing proactive and reactive care to make sure they can live gloriously independent lives.”
Dr Bakhai also visited St Ann’s Valley Centre, where she met with GPs and an audience of health and care professionals.
Ciara Stuart, Assistant Director for Nottingham City Place Based Partnership, said the visit had been ‘hugely positive’ for the development of neighbourhood health in the city.
“Neighbourhood working is pivotal to the success of the NHS 10 Year Plan, and we are on an exciting journey here in Nottingham,” she said.
“It was fantastic to be able to showcase some of the great work that is going on across the city as well as share our hopes and aspirations for the coming months when will be launching more Integrated Neighbourhood Teams.”