Bexley is taking a significant step towards enhancing healthcare accessibility with the launch of its Integrated Neighbourhood Health Service, designed to provide more joined-up and proactive care for residents.
The Bexley Health and Wellbeing Board endorsed the Bexley Care Plus Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday, marking a pivotal moment in the collaboration between key local organisations. This arrangement brings together the London Borough of Bexley, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, Bexley Health Neighbourhood Care CIC, and Primary Care Networks to form a cohesive integrator.
The move towards Integrated Neighbourhood Teams is a continuation of Bexley's ongoing efforts to improve care delivery, responding to both regional and national healthcare priorities. The new service aims to address pressures within the health and care system while ensuring residents receive the support they need in a timely and efficient manner.
Bexley already delivers integrated neighbourhood care within three Local Care Networks (Clocktower, Frognal and North Bexley), through a partnership called Bexley Care between the London Borough of Bexley and Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust. Bexley Care provides services delivered by multi-disciplinary integrated teams between community and adult social care in the three neighbourhoods.
The Bexley Wellbeing Partnership has been instrumental in formulating the next phase of Integrated Neighbourhoods, building upon the existing foundations of Bexley Care and integrating more formally with Primary Care Networks and the local GP Federation to create the integrator.
On 16 July 2025, the NHS South East London Integrated Care Board approved Bexley's integrator, Bexley Care Plus, aligning with established assurance processes. The Bexley Roadmap outlines the next steps, which include running pilots for frailty, multiple long-term conditions (LTCs), and integrated child health between Q1 and Q3 of 2025/26. A partnership agreement is expected to be signed off in 2026, with commissioning intentions for the emerging Bexley Care Plus to be set in January 2026.
This collaborative effort is underpinned by the London Target Operating Model and the NHS Long Term Plan, both of which emphasize integrated care at the neighbourhood level to improve population health and reduce health inequalities.
The integrator, Bexley Care Plus, will focus on coordinating data sharing, workforce planning, governance, technology, and population health approaches. It will also act as a connector and problem-solver across organisations, scaling good practices and embedding community voices.
