One Devon launches county-wide conversation on neighbourhood health

Published: 24 August 2026

People across Devon are invited to find out more and help shape the delivery of neighbourhood health across the county.

The national vision for neighbourhood health, set out in the 10 Year Health Plan for England and national Neighbourhood health framework, is to bring together GPs, community services, mental health, social care, voluntary organisations and local partners to provide more joined-up support in local communities. This aims to help people stay healthier for longer, access more care closer to home, reduce the need for hospital treatment where appropriate, and ensure services are shaped around the needs of local communities.

Hospitals will always play a vital role in caring for people when they are seriously ill, need urgent treatment or require specialist expertise. Neighbourhood health is not about reducing the importance of hospitals. It is about ensuring people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Residents can take part in the ‘Let’s talk Neighbourhood health’ engagement programme by completing a survey, going along to an event, or joining a local feedback group or the new Devon People Panel, among other opportunities, to make sure their voice, previous experiences and opinions are heard.

All activities are open to residents, patients, carers, NHS staff, community groups, local authorities and voluntary sector organisations.

Dr Chris Reid, Chief Place and Transformation Officer for NHS Devon and NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, said: “Neighbourhood health is about helping more people stay well, providing more care closer to home and making it easier to access joined-up support in our local communities.

“People’s health and care needs are changing. More people are living longer, often with more than one health condition, and we need to make sure our services continue to meet those needs in the future.

“At the same time, as people’s health and care needs become more complex and the cost of providing care continues to rise, we have a responsibility to make the best possible use of public money so we can continue improving care for current and future generations.

“This engagement programme is an opportunity for people across Devon to help shape the future of health and care. We want to hear what is working well and what matters most to you and your community.”

Creating a neighbourhood health service is not something the NHS can do alone. It depends on health services, social care, local councils, community groups and local people working together to improve health and wellbeing. That’s why organisations from across Devon are supporting the conversation and encouraging people to get involved.

Kevin Dixon, Chair of Healthwatch Devon, Plymouth and Torbay, said: “People are the experts in their own experiences of health and care. This engagement programme is the next part of the conversation following on from the NHS 10 Year Plan engagement programme that took place across Devon to find out what works well, what could be improved and what matters most to them and their families.

“Healthwatch is proud to support this programme by helping ensure that everyone’s voice can be heard, including those who may not normally have the opportunity to get involved. The views shared through this engagement will help shape decisions about how health and care services develop in the future.”

Frank O’Kelly, a local GP, said: “As a GP, I see every day how much better outcomes are when services work together around the patient, not just when someone is already unwell, but in supporting them to stay healthy. Neighbourhood health is about making that joined-up care the norm, not the exception.”

Neil Macdonald, Chief Executive of University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, said: “Delivering neighbourhood health across Devon is an opportunity for all of us across health, care and community services to build on the great work already happening locally, bringing services and teams together so people can access joined-up care closer to home when it is appropriate for them.

“By strengthening the health, wellbeing and care support available in local communities, we can help more people stay well, receive support earlier and recover more quickly in the settings that work best for them.

“This approach also helps ensure that hospitals can focus their expertise, facilities and specialist teams on providing the urgent, emergency and specialist care that only hospitals can deliver, when people need it most.

“That’s why it’s so important that local people help shape these plans and tell us what matters most to them.”

Local voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations are supporting the programme through the neighbourhood health events and a new small grants scheme, enabling trusted local groups to engage communities whose voices are less often heard and ensure a diverse range of experiences helps shape future health and care in Devon.

Diana Crump, Chief Executive Officer of the Torbay, Plymouth & Devon Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Assembly (VCSE), said: “Voluntary and community organisations are often the first and most trusted point of contact for people who find statutory services hard to reach. The new small grants scheme is a real opportunity for local groups to get support to be part of shaping neighbourhood health.”

Dr Lincoln Sargeant, Director of Public Health at Torbay, said: “Good health is shaped by much more than healthcare alone. Where we live, work and connect with our communities all play an important part in helping us stay healthy and independent.

“Neighbourhood health is an opportunity to bring together health services, social care, public health, local authorities, voluntary organisations and communities to provide support earlier and prevent avoidable ill health wherever possible.

“By working together and listening to local people, we can create services that are better connected, reduce health inequalities and help people live healthier, more independent lives for longer.

“I would encourage everyone to get involved and share their experiences and ideas through the survey and their nearest local event.”

Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon, said: “Public health is about creating the conditions that help people live healthy, fulfilling lives. Most of what shapes our health happens beyond the walls of hospitals and GP surgeries, in our homes, communities, relationships and environment.

“Neighbourhood health gives us the opportunity to build on the strengths already within our communities and put prevention at the heart of how we support people to stay well.

“By sharing their experiences and ideas, local people can help shape services and support that reflect the needs of their communities and help create a healthier, fairer Devon for everyone.”

Tandra Forster, Director of Integrated Adult Social Care for Devon County Council, said: “Adult social care is being accessed in every neighbourhood across Devon, with our teams working closely with health services, communities, unpaid carers and other partners to coordinate support around people’s lives and the things that matter to them.

“Neighbourhood health gives us an opportunity to strengthen this joined-up approach, helping more people stay independent, connected and well. It is vital that people who access services, and their unpaid carers help shape how this develops, and I would encourage them to get involved and share their views.”

Michelle Thomas, Chief Executive of Livewell Southwest, said: “Mental health is just as important as physical health, and neighbourhood health gives us the opportunity to bring support together around people in a way that is more joined up, more preventative and easier to access.

“Many people living with mental health conditions also have physical health needs, while physical illness can have a significant impact on mental wellbeing. By working more closely with GPs, community services, social care, voluntary organisations and local communities, we can provide earlier support, help people stay well and reduce the need for more intensive care wherever possible.

“This is an important opportunity for local people to help shape services that reflect the needs of their communities. We would encourage people from all backgrounds and with all experiences of health and care to get involved and share what matters most to them.”