Stockton and Sunderland to lead way in local health revolution
Two North East areas will be among the first in England to develop a pioneering new approach to healthcare after the Government announced a new programme to provide 'healthcare on people's doorstep' through new neighbourhood teams.
Stockton-on-Tees and Sunderland are among 43 local areas in the first wave of the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, which aims to tackle inequalities and improve health in communities.
This radical new approach will transform care by creating neighbourhood health teams, with community nurses, hospital doctors, social care workers, pharmacists, dentists, optometrists, paramedics, social prescribers, local government organisations and the voluntary sector all working together at local level.
Patients who might otherwise get trapped in a cycle of hospital admissions and see many different clinicians will instead receive end-to-end care and tailored support nearer to their homes. Neighbourhood teams will look at the wider causes of a person's health problems, reducing hospital trips, preventing complications and avoiding the frustration of being passed around the system.
Samantha Allen, chief executive of NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: "We are always keen to be at the forefront of improving healthcare, so we are thrilled to have both Stockton and Sunderland as part of the first wave of this major national programme. There's a lot of good work already in place, so we have a strong base to build on.
"With integrated teams working in neighbourhoods, we can bring services closer to communities and reduce inequalities in health. There's been huge interest across our region, and over time we want to make sure every part of the North East and North Cumbria can benefit."
People in both areas live with long-standing challenges such as low levels of healthy life expectancy, significant deprivation, and high rates of long-term conditions.
In parts of Stockton, men can expect to live almost 17 years less than people in the most affluent areas, and women nearly 19 years less.
In Stockton, the programme will focus on the central and Portrack areas, before expanding to other parts of the town. The scheme will test new ways to intervene earlier and prevent ill health through integrated neighbourhood teams of GPs, nurses, care coordinators, mental health specialists and community champions.
Building on the work of the borough's Care and Health Innovation Zone, it will also aim to address some of the wider issues affecting people's health, such as financial hardship, housing and employment.
The Council’s cabinet member for health and adult social care, Councillor Pauline Beall, said: “Being chosen as part of the neighbourhood health implementation programme is a major feather in our cap which builds on the huge amount of existing work happening across Stockton-on-Tees to give people the care and support they need.
“Alongside the development of the Tees Valley Care & Health Innovation Zone and the Community Diagnostic Centre, this is a pioneering approach that places more support at the heart of our communities meaning they can access the right level of care in more convenient locations, without having to travel far.
“It also means that people will receive tailored support at an earlier point which will help prevent ill health, complications and avoid unnecessary trips to hospital.
“By working together, the Council and its partners can make use of existing skills and resources to respond to residents’ needs. Working with the community will be a key part of this; we know there is a huge amount of activity going on and our local voluntary sector understands our communities really well.
“It also puts us at the forefront of informing the development and implementation of national policy that will benefit the health and wellbeing of our local people.”
Healthy life expectancy in Sunderland is among the lowest in England – just 56 years in good health for men compared to 63 nationally.
In Sunderland, the programme will expand the award-winning 'One Sunderland' approach to supporting frail patients, which brings together GPs, nurses, social care, mental health, and voluntary sector partners to support people at home.
New neighbourhood health centres will be set up alongside GP practices, family hubs, women’s health hubs and community venues, with increased use of data helping identify residents at risk earlier and provide proactive, personalised support to help them stay healthy for longer.
Councillor Kelly Chequer, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Safer Communities at Sunderland City Council, said:
"We’re really pleased that Sunderland is one of the first places in the country chosen to try out this new way of bringing health care closer to home. This is all about making health care easier to reach, more joined-up, and better for everyone.
"It means people in our city will get help to stay healthy for longer by making it easier to get a wide range of healthcare on their doorstep instead of having to travel outside of their community.
"Local health teams will work together to make sure people get the right support in their own neighbourhoods. This builds on the good work we’ve already done in Sunderland, like our Family Health Hubs and Women’s Health Hubs, to help more people across our city benefit from this new approach."
Stockton and Sunderland will both become national learning sites when work gets underway later this year. This means that other areas will keen to learn from their work and successes as the programme develops.
The successful bids were backed by North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and Sunderland City Council, alongside local NHS Trusts, Primary Care Networks, universities, and voluntary and community sector partners, and supported by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness and Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen.