London’s health and care leaders have today set out their plans for a neighbourhood health service to bring care closer to people’s homes.

The plans set out a case for change for how health care will be delivered in the capital with contributions from NHS England London, London’s five Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), London Health and Care Partnership, London councils, the Greater London Authority, and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities in London – with support from Londonwide LMCs.

Together, these partners have formally backed the publication of The London case for change and the London target operating model and next steps for implementation for a neighbourhood health service in London. Together, these documents lay the groundwork for a bold transformation in how health and care is designed, delivered, and experienced by people in London, and reflect a collective determination to build healthier communities across the capital.

They are informed by months of engagement with clinicians, professionals, system and organisational leaders, patients, carers, voluntary organisations, and local leaders.

A new way of working

The London target operating model shows how a neighbourhood health service will function in practice. At its core, services will be integrated around people’s lives, by bringing together GPs, community health services, mental health support, acute and specialist services, local authorities (including adult’s and children’s social care and public health) and voluntary services, to deliver coordinated and proactive care to people with the most complex needs.

Putting people and communities at the centre

The model is built on a whole-population approach – improving support and outcomes for babies, children and young people; families; working-age adults, including those currently economically inactive due to unmet health needs; older people; and those at the end of their lives.

It recognises that health and wellbeing are shaped as much by housing, employment, education, and community as by medicine. By strengthening connections between the NHS and local public services, and making it easier to access non-clinical support, the neighbourhood health service will also help tackle the broader causes of ill-health.

Why now?

London faces a clear and pressing need to do things differently. Rising demand, widening health inequalities, workforce pressures, and fragmented services are all putting strain on the current system.

Across the capital, people are living longer but with more complex health needs, yet too often experience care that is disjointed and reactive.

The time is right for a new model – one rooted in prevention, early intervention, and support that wraps around people in the communities where they live. The goal is to keep people healthy and independent for longer, reduce unnecessary hospital and care home stays, and improve the overall experience and outcomes of care. 

Dr Agatha Nortley-Meshe, NHS England London’s Medical Director for Primary Care, said “The 10-year health plan will set out how we create a truly modern health service designed to meet the changing needs of our changing population.

“The success of neighbourhood health will rely on our collective effort and shared determination to build something better, borough by borough, neighbourhood by neighbourhood – moving care from hospitals, closer to communities.” 

Chief Executive Officer for the London-wide Local Medical Committees, Dr Lisa Harrod-Rothwell, said: “Every day, as GPs, we help patients navigate a fragmented and siloed service, advocating for them to get the best care wherever they need it.

“We have colleagues working in other parts of this system who are as enthusiastic about working collaboratively as we are. We need to take this opportunity to bring everyone together.

“The benefits could be seen across a number of areas, including patient satisfaction, clinical outcomes, financial efficiency, and health inequities. Morale, wellbeing, and job satisfaction can be massively improved if we are enabled to work effectively together, doing so with our patients and local communities.”

Chief Executive Officer for NHS South East London and co-senior responsible officer for this work, Andrew Bland, said: “Londoners deserve a system that works for them. One that is easier to access, more joined-up, and truly focused on what matters to them.”

“This work is also about improving system sustainability across primary care, acute and community services, local government, and the voluntary and community sector.  By working together and focusing on common goals, the neighbourhood health service will help provide more efficient and personalised care that is tailored to local communities.”