NEWSROOM

This year's report shows how the Council is working hand in hand with Voluntary and Community Sector organisations, the NHS and partners across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin to build healthier neighbourhoods. The approach is about bringing services together around the needs of local people, rather than organisational boundaries, so residents can stay healthy and independent for longer, have problems spotted earlier, and receive care closer to home rather than in hospital when needed.

Working in neighbourhoods is far from new for the Council, which already delivers a wide range of services that shape residents' health and wellbeing – from lifestyle and public health services to adults and children's social care, housing, employment and welfare support. This report shows how that reach is now being used more purposefully to focus on prevention.

A series of case studies in the report showcase how the Council, community and voluntary organisations have been working with residents and primary and community NHS services on prevention, framed around the borough's agreed prevention priorities:

• Accessible information on healthy lifestyles and self-care
• Integrated neighbourhood teams and community hubs
• Person-centred care and support
• Comprehensive delivery of NHS prevention programmes, with a focus on tackling inequalities
• Early detection and treatment for long-term conditions, with a focus on tackling inequalities
• Focused prevention activity to reduce inequalities
• Working together to support those most in need

The case studies describe how the Council and its partners are working differently, the impact this is having, and what going further will look like. Neighbourhood health also connects closely with other major transformation programmes already under way in the Borough, including the Best Start in Life and Making Prevention Real in adult social care.

The report sets out clear opportunities for future action, recommending that these become part of the Telford & Wrekin Place Partnership delivery plan for neighbourhood health, and in turn help inform the refresh of the Health & Wellbeing Strategy during 2027.

It recommends that the Health & Wellbeing Board, the NHS Integrated Care Board and the Telford & Wrekin Integrated Place Partnership continue to work together on the neighbourhood health agenda and agree an implementation plan that:

• Ensures prevention work becomes centre stage, alongside the shift of treatment and care out of hospital into community and primary care in neighbourhoods
• Scales up prevention programmes in an equitable way, with a focus on those who need it most
• Adopts learning from pilot projects, continuing and expanding the initiatives delivering clear outcomes
• Supports further investment in Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise organisations, so local prevention programmes can become sustainable

Helen Onions, Director of Public Health at Telford & Wrekin Council, said: "My report this year shines a light on neighbourhood health, the Government's new programme, which is part of the NHS 10 Year Plan.

“Neighbourhood health needs a strong public health approach, with a focus on prevention, so our residents stay healthy and independent, problems are spotted earlier, and, where needed, care is offered close to home rather than in hospital.

"We already offer a wide range of services and support in our communities that impact residents' health and wellbeing, and this report shows what's possible when we bring those services together around the needs of local people, rather than organisational boundaries. Voluntary and Community Sector organisations, alongside local authorities, will be critical partners to the NHS as it goes through this major transformation over the next decade."

Councillor Kelly Middleton, Cabinet Member for Public Health and Unlocking Opportunities for All, said: "This report is a powerful reminder of what neighbourhood working can achieve when the Council, the NHS and our voluntary and community sector partners pull together around the needs of our residents. The case studies featured here show real impact on the ground – helping children, young people and adults to start well, live well and age well.

"If we get this right, the Government's Neighbourhood Health agenda has the potential to transform health and wellbeing outcomes across our Borough. I'm proud of the work already under way, and I look forward to us building on it together through the Health & Wellbeing Board, the Integrated Care Board and our Place Partnership."

The full Public Health Report (Article 8) is available at https://democracy.telford.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=1171&MId=2924&Ver=4