Shropshire chosen for first wave of NHS neighbourhood pioneers as bid for Telford and Wrekin ‘not selected’
Shropshire has been selected as one of 43 ‘first wave’ areas where NHS services will be shifted from hospitals to the community, a move that has been welcomed by county NHS leaders.
The first wave will target ‘working class areas with lowest life expectancy and longest waits’ and be backed by £10 million of central Government money, to pay for a ‘programme lead’ in each area.
The Government says GPs will be the cornerstone of the new localised system, and they will be offered new contracts to draw together a range of professions to develop a neighbourhood health team.
This will consist of community nurses, hospital doctors, social care workers, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, paramedics, social prescribers, local government organisations and the voluntary sector.
Health leaders hope that Neighbourhood Health will give people easier access to the right care and support on their doorstep and help avoid unnecessary trips to hospital, prevent complications and “avoid the frustration of being passed around the system”.
Wave 1 of the programme began in 43 sites across England on September 9 and has been welcomed by health leaders in Shropshire. It is hoped that it will ‘scale up’ more services over the course of the next year.
Andrew Morgan, the chair in common of both the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust (SaTH) and Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (Shropcom), told a meeting on Thursday (September 11) that he received the news this week.
“One of the national neighbourhood pilots will be here in Shropshire and be one of 43,” he said.
Mr Morgan said the national NHS 10-Year Plan has neighbourhoods at the centre of thinking.
“It is good that we are going to be one of the pilots or pioneers,” he added.
Nigel Lee, chief strategy officer at commissioners NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin said that last month it, local councils, NHS trusts and the voluntary and community sector submitted two bids to join the Government’s National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP).
The applications were aimed at enhancing the local, community-based health and wellbeing services in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin.
Mr Lee said: “We’re pleased to share that the Shropshire bid was successful and will now join the first wave of the NNHIP.
“With support from a national coach and subject experts, we will accelerate our joined-up approach to healthcare with partners through our primary care networks, to support people closer to home and in their communities, focusing initially on those with complex needs.
“This will build on Shropshire Council’s important work to support young people not in education, employment or training, tackle fuel poverty, and strengthen rural care based on local needs.
“We will also progress the great work of Shropshire’s community and family hubs, which offer services like early help for families including health visitor clinics, support to stop smoking , youth drop-ins, SEND support, women’s health and support for older adults, helping reduce health inequalities across our rural population.
“Although our application for Telford and Wrekin was not selected for the national programme at this stage, our strong relationships with partners across the system will continue to develop this work to support people to stay well and thrive in their neighbourhoods.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Neighbourhood health services fundamentally reimagine how the NHS works – bringing care closer to home while helping to tackle this nation’s shameful health inequalities.
Through our Plan for Change, we will stop people from being bounced around a broken system as we get the health service back on its feet.”
