Harrow is taking a closer look at its Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) to improve the health and wellbeing of residents. At a Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on Thursday, July 3rd, 2025, officials discussed the progress and future direction of these teams, which aim to bring together various services at the local level.
Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) aim to deliver 10 core outcomes over a 5-year period, all of which require integration and collaboration to succeed, according to the Health and Wellbeing Board Report _Integrated Neighbourhood Teams update 003. These outcomes include demonstrable improvements in staff and citizen experience, preventative care and population health improvements, improved access to services and early identification of issues, and better management of complex community-based care.
INTs are designed to integrate primary care, community health (both physical and mental), social care, council services, and voluntary organisations. The goal is to foster strong relationships and create resilient communities that improve people's lives.
According to a report presented at the meeting, London is facing a perfect storm
of economic and health inequalities, putting increasing pressure on the NHS, local authorities, and other partners. General Practice in London is experiencing severe challenges, with a 20% reduction in practices over the past decade, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged communities. A consistent approach to neighbourhood health services is needed across London to address these challenges sustainably.
The North West London Joint Forward Plan identifies 'Neighbourhood Health' as a top priority, with integrated neighbourhood teams at the heart of the plan. NWL ICB and Place-Based Partnerships are prioritising local engagement to shape co-developed programmes, with shared priorities, local flexibility, a shared vision, and dispersed system leadership.
Three overarching programmes are being developed at the NWL level to support neighbourhood development:
- Neighbourhood Models of Care
- Neighbourhood Health Development Framework
- Neighbourhood Health Baseline Metrics Dashboard
The Harrow Borough-based Partnership is focusing on developing a model for proactive care for older people with frailty and dementia, delivered through integrated neighbourhood teams. A Neighbourhood Coordination Point pilot is starting to assess 300 patients who have had a recent hospital admission. Partners from social care, adult mental health, community services, and primary care will participate in the pilot from July to September 2025.
The Health and Wellbeing Board Report _Integrated Neighbourhood Teams update 003 indicates that this pilot aims to build evidence for a neighbourhood operating model for frailty, identify the collective workforce, understand the population cohort, and develop sustainable changes in daily practice, including seamless record-sharing.
The board discussed how to further support the shift to prevention by collaborating with partners, how to keep the board involved in the development of neighbourhood health, and how board partners might support the ambition for neighbourhood health in Harrow.
Key risks to the delivery of the INTs were also identified, including potential disruption to services as ICBs transition to a strategic commissioning role and uncertainty surrounding the NHS 10-year Health Plan. Mitigations include a governance structure that aligns with the local Harrow governance structure and the appointment of INT Coordinators to support project delivery and bring partners together.
The financial implications for implementing INTs are multifaceted. According to the Health and Wellbeing Board Report _Integrated Neighbourhood Teams update 003, these include ongoing operational costs such as staff salaries, facility maintenance, and administrative expenses, which are currently being met by each partner organisation. However, INTs can also lead to long-term cost savings by reducing hospital admissions, improving preventive care, reducing duplication, and enhancing efficiency in service delivery. There may also be opportunities to pool resources from various sectors, including health, social care, and voluntary services.