Neighbourhood health is a concept which is fundamental to the delivery of the 10 Year Health Plan for England: Fit for the Future.  This report provides an update on progress made towards developing this approach in Herefordshire.

Joanne Hodgetts noted the neighbourhood health was integral to the ‘10 Year Health Plan For England: fit for the future’ and presented the slides ‘Neighbourhood Health Programme 2025/26’, under the headings: The approach for 2025/26; Priority cohorts; Herefordshire Health Programme – What have we achieved to date? What’s next?; Working as Multi-disciplinary Neighbourhood Teams (MDNTs); Key challenges; and What will success look like?

The principal discussion points included:

1.           Joanne Hodgetts explained that cohort identification had been informed by data and local knowledge; the initial focus was on people living with four or more long term conditions and having had one or more hospital admission in the past 12 months.

2.           The Chairperson commented that there were areas of deprivation in some market towns but there could be good access to healthcare, whereas people in more rural areas may need to travel considerable distances to reach equivalent services. 

3.           Zoe Clifford said that the board should not lose sight of the need to improve the health and wellbeing of the whole population, and should look upstream to minimise the number of people becoming part of such cohorts.

4.           A board member commented that the neighbourhood health plan needed to be multi-tiered, so that it supported the whole population to achieve good health and wellbeing, as well as providing intensive support to those with complex needs to enable them to live their best lives outside of the hospital environment.

5.           The Vice-Chairperson referred to the 20% increase in the number of acute admissions for people over the age of 65 in the last two years and to analysis around admissions for people nearing end of life.  It was emphasised that congestion in the emergency department had consequential impacts on all communities.

6.           A board member highlighted the need to consider the role of the voluntary and community sector in urgent neighbourhood services and MDNTs.

7.           Joanne Hodgetts commented on the benefits of high impact interventions and on the potential for learning from other areas involved in the national programme.  Jon Barnes added that empowering people to stay at home for as long as possible would have benefits for the system but would also provide better experiences for individuals, families and communities.

In concluding the discussion, the Chairperson noted that progress with the Neighbourhood Health Programme was likely to be a regular item of business at future board meetings.

Resolved:  That the report be noted.