National Neighbourhood Health Lead Visits Rotherham Pilot Site
What is a ‘neighbourhood?’
A neighbourhood health service is about helping people stay well in their local area and reducing the need for hospital care. It works by getting different services to work together — including the NHS, social care, and community organisations — so people receive joined‑up support rather than dealing with lots of separate services. By sharing information and working as one team, services can give better care and help people get better outcomes.
Neighbourhood health also focuses on preventing illness before it starts or gets worse. This includes things like vaccinations, health checks, screening, managing health risks, and early support when problems first appear. By working closely with local councils and other partners, neighbourhood health services can also help tackle wider issues that affect people’s health, such as housing, education, jobs, and social support.
Another key part of the neighbourhood health model is bringing care closer to home and making it more personal. This means services are designed around the individual, taking into account what matters to them, their circumstances, and their preferences. The aim is to give people more choice, more control, and care that fits their lives.
The visit
Minal then met with members of the Rotherham Place Board to hear more about their shared vision for neighbourhood health and the priority areas including:
- Prevention — including targeted over-40s health checks to identify risks earlier and support people to stay well for longer
- Reducing risk in 18–39 year olds — proactively supporting younger adults to address emerging health risks and inequalities
- Complex frailty — delivering coordinated, proactive care for people with complex and long-term needs
The visit then moved to Broom Lane Medical Centre in Rotherham, where Minal observed a proactive care multidisciplinary team (MDT) meeting in action. These MDTs bring together professionals from social care, community nursing, GP practices, care coordination, geriatrics and social prescribing. By working collaboratively, the team develops joined-up care plans for people with complex frailty needs, helping them stay well and supported in their communities.
Anthony Fitzgerald, Executive Place Director for Doncaster and Rotherham at NHS South Yorkshire ICB said:
We were delighted to welcome Minal Bakhai and showcase the exciting work taking place in Rotherham and Doncaster as we continue to develop our neighbourhood way of working. Our priority areas reflect Rotherham and Doncaster’s strong commitment to prevention, early intervention and tailored support at every stage of life, helping to ensure neighbourhood-based health services genuinely meet the needs of our local communities.
Links to VCSE
A key focus of visit was to explore models that strengthen links with the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector. To highlight this, Minal visited You Asked We Responded (YAWR) Services, a valued social prescribing partner based at Clifton Park, Rotherham. Founded in 2012 to support the health and wellbeing of Rotherham’s Pakistani community, YAWR has grown into a vital partner in local social prescribing. The organisation provides culturally appropriate support and works to reach marginalised communities to stay connected and resilient. Its services now include befriending, enabling, benefits advice, advocacy, green social prescribing and employability support.
Anthony Fitzgerald continued,
Feedback from the visit was extremely positive. The strength of partnership working across Rotherham and Doncaster, the local approach and the long-term vision for neighbourhood health were all highlighted. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to share insights and experiences with the national team, helping to build understanding of what works well and how best practice can be spread across the region.
Read the full article on the South Yorkshire ICB website, by clicking the link below;-
National Neighbourhood Health Lead Visits Rotherham and Doncaster Pilot Sites
