Key takeaways
Shift power and resources to neighbourhoods
Health and care systems need to be organised around neighbourhoods, with resources rebalanced locally rather than waiting for new funding.
Integration and culture change are non-negotiables
Real change depends on true integration — shared data, pooled resources and co‑located teams — alongside a culture of trust and psychological safety.
Act now: Test, iterate and scale
National guidance should not delay local action or experimentation.
Working alongside independent consultants IMPOWER, we recently convened a landmark roundtable in Leeds, bringing together senior leaders from across the Yorkshire health and care system. Chaired by Dame Barbara Hakin, the session explored how neighbourhood health can be reimagined to deliver integrated, outcomes-focused care for communities.
At Hill Dickinson, we are proud to be at the forefront of these developments - helping health and care systems move from strategy to delivery with confidence.
Key insights driving change
Reflecting on the roundtable, a number of key themes emerged:
Neighbourhood-centric care: The future of health lies in neighbourhoods - where services are closest to people’s homes and communities. Flexibility to work across micro and macro levels is essential
True Integration: Pooling resources, sharing data and co-locating teams are also critical. Housing, benefits and social connection are not ‘wider determinants’ but instead core to positive health outcomes
Culture shift: Leaders must create trust and psychological safety within their teams, empowering them to innovate and act boldly
Resource transparency: Rebalancing existing resources at neighbourhood level should be a focus, rather than waiting for new funding
Outcome focus: Starting small with meaningful measures such as avoidable admissions and long-term condition management, before then looking to scale
Community empowerment: It’s crucial to work with communities and not to them - genuine co-production is key.
Pragmatism: Don’t wait for national guidance - act now, test, iterate and scale what works.
Taking action - practical steps
Commit to a shared neighbourhood health vision
Map and rebalance resources aligned to Neighbourhood Health Plans
Launch integrated teams and targeted pilots immediately
Empower local teams and invest in culture change
Strengthen governance and accountability frameworks
Focus on outcomes that matter to communities
Lead boldly and support risk-taking to deliver real change
Why Hill Dickinson?
We have decades of experience partnering with health and social care organisations to deliver new models of care, including neighbourhood and place-based arrangements. We combine deep legal expertise with strategic insight to ensure you are ready for the transition to community-based, outcomes-focused health and care. From governance and contracting to operationalising integrated models, we provide the tools and confidence to make transformation happen.
The insights from this session are designed to support leaders navigating these challenges. For a full summary of the roundtable - and to explore more practical ideas for making neighbourhood and place-based care a reality - get in touch.
