Written by Enya Khan (Account Director at Incisive Health) based on an interview with Sharon Brennan (former Director of Policy at National Voices and co-chair of the UK Government's Timms Review)
The 10 Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious vision for neighbourhood health services – bringing the NHS to communities, creating teams that work around patients, and abolishing the default of 'one size fits all' care. The immediate goal is to support those most in need, including those with long-term conditions in areas with the highest deprivation. But translating this vision into reality requires more than structural reorganisation. It demands a fundamental reimagining of the relationship between health systems and the communities they serve.
In part one of our three-part blog series exploring how to deliver on the ambitions of a comprehensive neighbourhood health service, we speak with Sharon Brennan, former Director of Policy at National Voices, expert in neighbourhood health and now co-chair of the Government’s Timms Review into Personal Independent Payments. We look at what it will take to genuinely embed the community voice into neighbourhood health services.
Communities as a health resource
The promise of neighbourhood health services rests on a fundamental premise: that healthcare can be transformed by shifting power closer to communities and enabling people to take greater control of their own health – particularly when managing long-term conditions like diabetes, arthritis and cardiovascular conditions. As Sharon emphasises, when done well, "community itself becomes its own health resource and gives it power". But empowerment requires reciprocity. "We are asking people to take control of their health", Sharon notes, "but they must be involved in decision making about their health and their communities’ health services to make people feel like it is worth doing.”
Friends, Families and Travellers (FFT) demonstrate how to build this support with communities:
Over the past decade in Brighton, FFT has worked with Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities to address significant health inequalities. By using the local Traveller community rooms for health sessions and holding focus groups, they've achieved substantial increases in vaccination uptake and cancer screening, alongside improved confidence in using services independently. Residents report that having a stable base and regular contact with trusted support gives them "the peace and confidence to consider preventative forms of medicine" and engage with services on their own terms.
Demonstrating value through clarity of purpose
It is imperative that both communities and providers genuinely engage with neighbourhood health services, which will require a shared understanding of purpose. The current conversation, Sharon argues, feels overly focused on process, for example on enablers like single patient records, without sufficiently answering the fundamental questions: why are we doing this, and what do we want it to achieve? Without this clarity, it becomes difficult to properly align different parts of the system or to leverage the voluntary sector effectively. There are also legitimate concerns about sustainability: is this a genuine long-term commitment, or will it falter when political priorities shift?
"We need to make sure there is a genuine commitment which extends beyond government cycles," Sharon stresses. For industry stakeholders evaluating engagement in neighbourhood health delivery, this raises critical strategic considerations. Long-term viability and clarity of purpose must underpin investment decisions – whether through clinical trial infrastructure, community-based care models or data-driven population health initiatives. Without a stable policy environment and enduring local partnerships, short-term interventions risk fragmentation and diminished impact.
The role of the voluntary sector in providing expertise
With clarity of purpose established, the question becomes how to deliver on that promise. Local systems must be given the flexibility to design services that reflect community priorities, with the freedom to innovate and the support to learn from what already works.
This can come from scaling pockets of best practice, particularly from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, who are already doing excellent work in the space. "We should see what information is out there and how that can be built upon to engage communities properly," Sharon suggests. For the private sector, this signals an opportunity: those who can demonstrate evidence of what works in terms of community engagement, prevention and improved health outcomes will be well-positioned to support systems looking to roll-out proven models.
Speed versus substance
There is an undeniable tension between the desired pace of implementation and the time required to build community partnership: "There's a speed at which neighbourhood health is going at which means we may lose the value of what we are trying to do", Sharon states. Real partnership means starting from the ground up, working with communities to understand what they need and designing services around those needs – for example, provision of tailored information and culturally competent support.
From insights to action: navigating the new health landscape
Neighbourhood health is more than a structural shift – it’s a chance to redesign care around what matters to people. But for this to succeed, every stakeholder must see clear value in engaging. For organisations looking to play a meaningful role in the future of neighbourhood health, these insights highlight several important considerations:
Align with patient priorities: For industry, supporting community empowerment and prevention isn’t just socially responsible – it’s commercially strategic. Solutions that can help people manage conditions effectively or reduce avoidable interventions can demonstrate real-world value, strengthen system relationships and support equitable access
Learn from and value VCSE expertise: For industry, partnering with VCSEs can improve understanding of underserved areas and ensure interventions are grounded in lived experience – ultimately supporting genuine co-design and maximising impact
Balance quick wins with long-term value: while sustainability and lasting impact are essential, short-term results that directly benefit patients still matter – particularly in a political context where visible progress can unlock continued support. Solutions that can deliver early proof points while laying the groundwork for deeper, systemic change will be best placed to influence the direction of neighbourhood health