Why does health and care need to change?

Leeds is a thriving city, but not everyone has the same opportunities to live a healthy life.

Today, there are significant differences in health outcomes between communities. For example, a baby born in Harewood can expect to live around 12 years longer than a baby born in Hunslet.

We also know that health is about much more than medical care. Around 80% of a person’s health is influenced by factors such as:

• Good-quality housing
• Employment and financial security
• Education and skills
• Access to green spaces and leisure opportunities
• Strong social connections and community support

These are often known as the wider determinants of health. When people struggle with these factors, they are more likely to experience poor health and develop long-term conditions earlier in life.

At the same time:

• More people are living with multiple long-term health conditions.
• Demand for health and care services continues to grow.
• People often have to tell their story multiple times to different services.
• Support can sometimes feel fragmented and difficult to navigate.

To meet these challenges, Leeds needs a system that is more connected, more preventative and more focused on what matters to people.

What is Neighbourhood Health?

Neighbourhood Health is about organising care around people and communities, rather than around organisations.

Instead of services working separately, NHS organisations, social care, public health, voluntary and community organisations, housing providers and other partners will work more closely together as one team.

The approach focuses on three key areas:

• Preventing poor health: Helping people stay healthy through early support, community connections and action on the wider factors that affect wellbeing.
• Proactive care: Identifying people who may need extra support before their health reaches crisis point and providing coordinated help earlier.
• Reactive care: Ensuring people receive the right care quickly when they need it, while keeping support coordinated and joined up.

What could this mean for you?

As Neighbourhood Health develops, people should experience health and care services differently.

• You will tell your story once: Professionals will work together more closely and share information appropriately, reducing the need to repeat information to multiple services.
• Support will be more joined up: Health services, social care, housing, community organisations and other partners will work as a connected team around your needs.
• Help will be available earlier: More focus will be placed on prevention and early intervention, helping people stay well and avoid avoidable hospital admissions where possible.
• Care will be closer to home: People will have access to more local support within their neighbourhood, making it easier to get the right help at the right time.
• Communities will play a bigger role: Local people will help shape services through engagement and co-design, ensuring support reflects the unique strengths and needs of each neighbourhood.

What could the future look like?

Our ambition is that people across Leeds will be able to say:

“I live in a thriving community where I feel safe and cared for. I know where to go when I need support. When I need care, it feels joined up and understands me as a person, not just my condition.”

In the future, you might experience:

Living well in your community

You know where to go for help with your health and wellbeing before problems become serious.

You feel connected to your community and can easily access local support and activities.

Joined-up care around you

Different professionals work together as a “team of teams”, supporting your health, wellbeing and independence. The team understands your circumstances and what matters most to you.

More support to stay independent

People receive the right support at home and in their community for longer, helping them remain active, confident and independent.

Better use of local knowledge

Neighbourhood teams use local insight and data to understand community needs and target support where it can make the biggest difference.

A stronger, more sustainable health and care system

By helping people earlier and coordinating services more effectively, Leeds can reduce pressure on hospitals and focus resources where they are needed most.

How will this happen?

Leeds is building on many successful programmes and partnerships that already exist across the city, including Local Care Partnerships, community services, voluntary organisations and proactive care programmes.

Over the next few years, Leeds will:

• Organise services around 15 neighbourhoods and 3 multi-neighbourhood areas.
• Develop neighbourhood health hubs that bring services together locally.
• Expand proactive care and integrated neighbourhood teams.
• Improve data sharing and shared care planning.
• Strengthen collaboration between health, social care, community and voluntary sector partners.

This will be a gradual transition, with learning and improvement taking place as neighbourhood health develops across the city.

A healthier future for Leeds

Neighbourhood Health is a long-term commitment to creating a city where people can live healthier, happier and more independent lives.

By working together across organisations and with communities, Leeds aims to reduce health inequalities, improve people’s experience of care and create services that are simpler, more connected and centred around what matters most to people.

Because better health starts in our neighbourhoods.