Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB
The Prime Minister has today launched the 10 Year Health Plan which sets out how the government plans to deliver on the three shifts of:
A new Neighbourhood Health Service will see teams set up in local communities to improve access to the NHS. The aim is to free up hospitals so they can focus on delivering better and more personalised care.
New health centres will house the neighbourhood teams, which will eventually be open 12 hours a day, six days a week within local communities. They will not only bring historically hospital-based services into the community – diagnostics, post-operative care, and rehab – but will also offer services like debt advice, employment support and stop smoking or weight management, all of which will help tackle issues which affect people’s health.
Dental care professionals will work as part of neighbourhood teams, where dental therapists could undertake check-ups, treatment, and referrals, while dental nurses could give education and advice to parents or work with schools and community groups. The work therapists cannot do would be safely directed to dentists.
Under the plan, it will also be a requirement for newly qualified dentists to practice in the NHS for a minimum period, intended to be 3 years.
More GPs will be trained and there will be a continued roll-out of digital telephony so all phone calls to GP practices are answered quickly. For those who need it, they will get a digital or telephone consultation the same day they request it.
New contracts will be introduced which encourage and allow practices to cover a wider geographical area. It means smaller practices in the catchment area will get more support to ensure the right access is in place so that everyone can access their GP when they need to.
Dr Kathy McLean, Chair of NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care Board, said: “The 10 Year Plan provides detail on how we will deliver on the three shifts of hospital to community, sickness to prevention and analogue to digital. We are already making great strides in the right direction with the launch of our first Integrated Neighbourhood Team, which will bring together professionals from various organisations including primary care, community health, local authorities, social care and the voluntary sector, to provide more joined up, proactive, and preventative care.
“We have also recently announced a new funding deal for GP practices which will support the proactive management of frailty and long-term conditions to be delivered in the community, helping to reduce emergency hospital admissions.
“There is still much work to do but we have the right foundation, and a willing group of partners, who are determined to transform our local health and care services to make them fit for your future needs.”
