This week saw the publication of the Neighbourhood Health Framework, setting out the next steps for creating a more joined up, person centred neighbourhood health service. The Framework is a primary delivery vehicle for the 10 Year Health Plan and brings together the three shifts: from hospital to community, from treatment to prevention, and from analogue to digital.
At a high level, the Framework provides:
A clear national direction for the development and scaling of neighbourhood health services, ensuring care is more accessible, preventative, personalised, and digitally enabled.
A minimum set of interventions that Integrated Care Boards should deliver over the next three years.
Clarity and consistency to support joined-up partnership working between local government and ICBs, as they work together through Health and Wellbeing Boards to develop locally led Neighbourhood Health Plans.
Supportive conditions for local leaders, offering flexibility while creating consistency in how neighbourhood models are designed and embedded.
The publication reflects learning from the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP), reinforces neighbourhood health as a joint endeavour between the NHS, local government, and voluntary and community sectors; the importance of focus on local priorities as well as national targets; and encouragement for sites to continue to be ambitious.
The framework can be accessed: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/neighbourhood-health-framework
