Christopher George
Health economics policy advisor at the NHS Confederation
Partnership is essential to improving population health and, in turn, helping reduce pressure on the NHS.
Many forces that determine people’s health, including housing, social care and finances, sit beyond the power of clinicians or the confines of a hospital. While the NHS can treat people who fall ill, preventing ill health, frequent GP appointments and hospital admissions requires others to act too.
Why partner engagement is important
It’s critical that the NHS engages with the full range of partners with the power to improve health outcomes. The network of groups and institutions with a role to play is broader than many realise. Key players are mayors and their strategic authorities.
Devolution has led to the creation of more elected mayors with additional powers to help determine population health. With growing responsibility for transport, housing and economic development, these mayors and devolved authorities will continue to be key partners for the NHS. Ensuring local growth, health and industrial strategies align is an opportunity to improve outcomes more effectively and efficiently.
Reducing pressure on NHS services sustainably depends on partnerships
However, partnerships shouldn’t be limited to larger entities. NHS organisations should also look to engage with partners at every level of society, from football clubs to schools, universities, libraries and even hairdressers and barbershops.
A top-down uniform model of public services is increasingly resulting in reforms based on local needs and wants from the bottom up. This approach provides opportunities for a broader range of partnerships, but also greater efficiency in how services are delivered to local people.
Pride in Place
Central to this shift is Pride in Place, led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, which is the government’s flagship strategy for community-led regeneration. Around 380 of the most deprived neighbourhoods will receive £20 million each over the next 10 years. This is a significant opportunity to make preventative healthcare in communities a reality and something NHS organisations would do well to embrace.
Reducing pressure on NHS services sustainably depends on partnerships. Uniting us are the communities we serve, and by collaborating for and with these communities, we improve population health for everyone’s benefit.
