Senior NHS England leaders have seen first-hand how neighbourhood health is being delivered across the North East and Yorkshire, following a series of visits to Humber and North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire.

Watch our video from the Sheffield Spital Health Centre visit

Dr Claire Fuller, National Priority Programme Director for Neighbourhood Health, together with Dr James Kent, National Adviser in the Strategy Directorate, and colleagues from NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care, undertook the tour as part of the national neighbourhood health stocktake programme. The visits highlighted both the progress being made and the shared ambition to transform care through stronger community-based models.

The programme began in Humber and North Yorkshire, which was selected as the first national “test site” system. Hosted at Health House, Willerby, the visit brought together senior leaders from across the integrated care system, including primary care, providers, local authorities and voluntary sector partners.

Feedback from the national team was highly positive, recognising “the strength and credibility of ICB leadership and partnership working” alongside “clear progress in establishing neighbourhood geographies and integrated neighbourhood teams.”

Leaders also highlighted “strong population health management and analytical capability” and “a clear strategic narrative, with strong foundations and a coherent delivery plan.” The openness of discussions was particularly valued, reflecting a shared commitment to honest conversations about both achievements and challenges.

While acknowledging further work is needed around governance and future contracting, the visit confirmed that the work Humber and North Yorkshire is successfully building momentum from a strong and well-developed position.

Teresa Fenech, NHS Humber and North Yorkshire ICB Chief Executive, said:

“We’re really proud to have been identified as the first national test site for the neighbourhood health stocktake. The visit highlighted the strong foundations we’ve built across Humber and North Yorkshire, but also reinforced how important it is that we continue working together with our system partners to take this further and deliver the outcomes our communities need.”

The second visit took place in Sheffield, where leaders toured Spital Street Health Centre in the north-east of the city. The newly developed facility offers a practical example of neighbourhood health in action, serving a population of around 11,000 following the merger of two practices within the Foundry Primary Care Network (PCN)

Located in one of the most deprived communities in England, the centre has been designed as a neighbourhood hub, bringing together a wide range of services under one roof. These include primary care, district nursing, mental health provision, community organisations and local authority services, helping to improve access and coordination of care.

The building itself reflects a modern model of care, with flexible clinical space, virtual consultation rooms and environmentally sustainable features aimed at enhancing both patient and staff wellbeing.

Local teams are also driving innovation in prevention and engagement. Targeted vaccination drop-ins are addressing low uptake, while community-led initiatives are helping tackle stigma around cervical screening in a highly diverse population. Staff described strong patient feedback, with call-back systems improving access and satisfaction.

The final visit took place in West Yorkshire, where around 30 representatives from across the NHS, local government and the voluntary sector gathered at the Reginald Centre in Leeds. The event provided an opportunity to showcase how the West Yorkshire Neighbourhood Health Framework is being delivered at scale across Bradford District and Craven, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

Chaired by ICB Interim CEO Jonathan Webb, the session focused on how neighbourhood teams are supporting people earlier, reducing demand on hospitals and improving long-term outcomes.

Webb said: “What makes West Yorkshire distinctive is the strength of our partnerships and our commitment to delivering through Places… we’re already seeing evidence that this approach can improve outcomes for people and help us deliver better health and care for our communities.”

Partners shared a range of examples, including digital tools to identify people at risk of falls in Bradford District and Craven , multidisciplinary neighbourhood teams in Wakefield helping reduce GP and A&E use, and continued investment in home-based care in Kirklees.

The role of primary care and place-based collaboration was also highlighted. GP Brendan Kennedy said: “General practice is often the front door to the health and care system… bringing partners together around neighbourhoods allows us to identify people who need support earlier and provide more joined-up care.”

Across all three visits, a consistent message emerged: neighbourhood health is a long-term transformation that depends on strong partnerships, prevention and a focus on the wider determinants of health.

As Kim Shutler, Joint Senior Responsible Officer in West Yorkshire, explained: “Neighbourhood health has to be about more than health services. It’s about communities, prevention, housing, employment, social connection and all the things that help people live healthier lives.”

Taken together, the visits demonstrated that neighbourhood health is moving from strategy into practice across the region. While systems are at different stages of development, each showcased how integrated, community-focused approaches are already improving care and outcomes for local people, with continued national support set to accelerate progress even further.

Read more about the West Yorkshire visit