National Neighbourhood Health Programme Lead Visits Shropshire Teams

Shropshire’s neighbourhood programme teams were pleased to welcome Dr Minal Bakhai MBE, National Senior Responsible Officer for the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP), on Monday 9 February as part of a visit to see how local teams are delivering integrated, preventative and person‑centred care across the county. 

The visit provided an opportunity to showcase the strength of partnership working across primary care, acute services, public health, community services and the voluntary sector, and to demonstrate how neighbourhood teams are supporting people to stay happy, healthy and connected in their communities. 

Dr Bakhai began the day by joining Shropshire Council’s Community Wellbeing Outreach Team on board the Winter Outreach Wellness bus. She heard how the teams are proactively reaching people in rural areas, offering health checks and wellbeing advice during the winter period. 

She then travelled to Much Wenlock and Cressage Surgery to meet the Dementia integrated neighbourhood team, hosted by Dr Jess Harvey, partners and colleagues. The team shared how they are working together to provide personalised support for people living with dementia and their carers, helping them access the right care at the right time. 

In the afternoon, Dr Bakhai visited Severn Fields Medical Practice, in Shrewsbury, to visit the Winter Wellness Clinic and hear how the Frailty integrated neighbourhood team is developing. Discussions focused on how early identification and proactive support for people living with frailty can help reduce avoidable hospital admissions and improve quality of life. 

Dr Lorna Clarson, Chief Officer for Strategy and Improving Outcomes at NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and NHS Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent said; 

“Dr Bakhai’s visit has been a fantastic opportunity to showcase the strength of our neighbourhood teams and, importantly, the partnerships that make this work possible. Improving health and care outcomes relies on organisations coming together with a shared purpose, and what we have in Shropshire is a powerful example of that collaboration in action.  

“From public health colleagues to primary care, community services, the acute trust, adult social care and the voluntary sector, everyone plays a vital role in supporting people to live healthier, more independent lives. I’m incredibly proud of the commitment shown across our system and the difference these partnerships are making for our communities.” 

The visit forms part of national work to understand how neighbourhood teams across England are developing and what support they need to continue strengthening prevention, access and personalised care for local communities. 

In September, Shropshire was selected as one of 43 places around the country to take part in wave one of the NNHIP. The strong partnerships built through the process will support us to spread the learning across Telford and Wrekin, aiding our local ambition to help people stay well and thrive in their neighbourhoods, across the system.