Cornwall and Isles of Scilly to help shape national neighbourhood health programme to improve health and wellbeing of the nation

Local pioneering neighbourhood health work underway in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has secured a spot on the Department of Health and Social Care’s National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly’s application builds on its established Integrated Neighbourhood Team (INT) programme, with five of the 16 INTs already rolling out the new neighbourhood model to local people.

The successful partnership bid made by 26 health and care local partners, will see Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly as one of 43 sites nationally, is part of an established local commitment to  move care closer to home, prevent illness and harness digital innovation, that support the three major shifts set out in the NHS 10-Year Plan, published this summer (July).

Kate Shields, Chief Executive, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, said:

“This programme is about real partnership – our NHS, councils, and voluntary and community partners working side by side to make care more local, more personal and more effective. By being part of this national initiative, we can go further and faster in shifting care closer to home, preventing illness, and making the best use of digital innovation for our people.”

As part of the bid, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly was able to show how local neighbourhood teams are already making a difference:

• Provide more care in the community, so fewer people need to go to A&E.
• Support people earlier, especially older adults at risk of frailty, helping them stay well and avoid unplanned hospital stays.
• Make hospital care simpler and more joined-up, using teams of different health professionals, virtual appointments, and community assessment days to give people the care they need in fewer trips.

This way of working uses digital tools, including AI, to spot people who might be at risk of needing hospital care. It means health teams can provide extra support, personalised care, and closer monitoring to help people stay well at home whenever possible.

Steve Williamson, Chief executive, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said: 

“Hospitals will always be here for people when they need specialist treatment or emergency care, but the real opportunity lies in helping people to stay well and avoid hospital wherever possible. This programme allows us to share more of our hospital expertise in the community, focus on prevention, and make sure people get care earlier and closer to home. That way, hospital services can be there for those moments when they are truly needed most.” 

Debbie Richards, Chief executive, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said:

“We know that health is about more than hospitals. Our neighbourhood teams already bring together GPs, community staff, social care and voluntary partners to support people in the round. This national programme gives us the chance to build on that collaboration, share what we’ve learned, and take forward new ideas with others across the country.”

Kate Kennally, Chief Executive, Cornwall Council, said:

“Good health depends on more than healthcare alone. Cornwall Council brings together housing, social care, public health, and community services, and through this programme we can make sure that people get joined-up support for all aspects of their lives. By working closely with our NHS and voluntary sector partners, we can help prevent ill health, tackle inequalities, and make our communities stronger and more resilient.”

Russell Ashman, Chief Executive, Council of the Isles of Scilly, said:

“Living on the Isles of Scilly brings particular challenges, but also opportunities to show how integrated, community-based care can work in more remote areas. This programme allows us to build on the strong partnerships we already have with NHS and voluntary organisations, so that our islands’ unique communities can access the right care in the right place, while sharing learning that could benefit other rural and coastal areas across the country.”

Emma Rowse, Chief Executive, Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum, said:

“Voluntary and community organisations are the heartbeat of neighbourhood health – rooted in local communities and trusted by the people they serve. Our role is to connect people with the support that matters most to them, whether that’s social groups, advice, or specialist services. Being part of this national programme means the voluntary sector can continue to shape solutions alongside NHS and council partners, ensuring that local voices drive real change in how care is delivered.”

Examples of local innovation already making a difference across Cornwall include:

• Community health and wellbeing workers based in neighbourhoods, reducing GP demand and boosting uptake of cancer screening.
• A mobile x-ray car, helping people get rapid diagnosis at home and avoiding unnecessary hospital trips.
• Neighbourhood wellbeing hubs where GPs, council teams, mental health professionals and voluntary sector organisations work side by side to support people’s wider needs.
• Super clinics for diabetes and orthopaedics, reducing waiting times and giving people all their checks in one visit.

Partners involved in the programme application included: NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board, Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Kernow Health CIC, Cornwall Council, Council of the Isles of Scilly, Age UK Cornwall, Volunteer Cornwall, Voluntary Sector Forum and Chaos.

About the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme

• As part of the national programme work currently underway, NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly will be allocated a programme lead who will work with them on the 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 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.

Read more about and watch the film about local Integrated Neighbourhood Teams: NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly integrated neighbourhood teams – NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly