The Neighbourhood Health Fund will be used as part of the Warwickshire-wide Health and Care Programme to enable organisations to bring services closer together. The programme will help people stay healthier for longer, receive more care closer to home and access essential support when they need it.
The £3 million investment will be used to fund three programmes that together will strengthen neighbourhood health and care across Warwickshire:
- Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, led by Warwickshire Integrated Primary Care (WIPC), will bring GPs, community services and other professionals together to provide joined-up, proactive support for people with the greatest health needs, including those living with frailty or approaching the end of life.
- Single Point of Access, delivered by South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT) through the Warwickshire-wide Health and Care Programme. This will provide senior clinician at triage for ages 18-65, a weekend GP telephone clinic and additional Urgent Community Response (UCR) capacity, helping patients receive the right care, from the right team, at the right time
- Investment in voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCSFE) organisations, commissioned through the Warwickshire VCFSE Collaborative, will strengthen the support available within local communities, helping people stay independent, reduce loneliness, improve wellbeing and tackle the wider factors that impact health.
Together, these initiatives are designed to create a more connected health and care system across Warwickshire, ensuring people experience smoother, more personalised care while enabling health and care professionals to work as one team around the needs of individuals.
Sir Glen Burley, Chief Executive of South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, said: "This investment allows us to jointly improve the experience of people using health and care services across Warwickshire.
“By bringing organisations together around the needs of our local communities, we can provide more joined-up care that helps people stay healthier for longer, receive more care closer to home and access support when they need it.
“The investment also allows us to focus on preventing people from becoming unwell, providing support earlier and helping reduce unnecessary hospital visits and admissions.
"No single organisation can achieve this on its own. Through the Warwickshire-wide Health and Care Programme, we are working with our partners to make services easier to navigate and provide more personalised support that improves a person’s health and wellbeing."
The Warwickshire-wide Health and Care Programme brings together local NHS organisations, councils and community partners to improve the health and wellbeing of people across Warwickshire. The programme aims to make essential services more joined up; supporting people to stay healthy and independent for longer and ensuring residents can access the right care and support when they need it.
Dr Cristina Ramos, GP and Chair of Warwickshire Integrated Primary Care, said: "For patients this is a fantastic opportunity to ensure their care is more connected. GP teams will work even more closely with community nurses, therapists, mental health professionals, social care and voluntary organisations, helping people receive coordinated support at every stage.
"By working together in neighbourhood teams, we can identify people who would benefit from earlier support, helping them stay well and reducing the need for hospital care wherever possible."
Karen Winchcombe, Chief Executive of Warwickshire CAVA, said: "Community organisations have a vital role in helping people live healthier, happier and more independent lives.
"This investment recognises that better health is about more than healthcare alone. By strengthening partnerships with voluntary organisations, we can provide people with the practical and community support they need to stay well.
“We look forward to further working as part of the Warwickshire-wide Health and Care Programme to tackle key issues such as loneliness, supporting carers, improving wellbeing and helping people manage long-term conditions.”
For more information on the work being done as part of the Warwickshire-wide Health and Care Programme visit https://