Newham Council is implementing a comprehensive neighbourhood health approach to tackle health inequalities across the borough, with a focus on prevention and bringing care closer to residents' homes.
The initiative, discussed at the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting on Monday 29 June 2026, aims to address disparities in health outcomes and improve access to services, particularly for vulnerable communities. The approach brings together partners from the NHS, the London Borough of Newham, and the voluntary, community, faith, and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector. It also involves the establishment of Locality Leadership Teams and an emerging model of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams.
Mayor Forhad Hussain outlined his vision for a healthier Newham, stating, Tackling inequality is not an additional piece of work. It is the work.
He emphasised the critical role of partnership in driving this change.
Insights from Healthwatch Newham revealed that while residents generally have positive experiences once they access services, significant barriers remain in accessing appointments, navigating the system, and obtaining clear information, especially for those with English as a second language or lacking digital access. Dianne Barham, Chief Executive of Healthwatch Newham, noted that inequalities frequently emerge before care is delivered.
The Newham Residents Survey 2025 highlighted concerns about ageing well, with only 49% of residents rating Newham as a good place to grow older, despite a projected 21% increase in the over-65 population by 2031. The survey also revealed significant financial pressures, with 44% of residents reporting they are just getting by
financially, and disparities affecting disabled residents, social renters, Black residents, and those with no religion.
To address these challenges, Newham is developing an integrated neighbourhood model, establishing eight community neighbourhoods within four localities. This approach, supported by a draft Memorandum of Understanding and partnership principles with the VCFSE sector, aims to deliver more coordinated and locally responsive services. The partnership principles emphasise community-led and inclusive approaches, with VCFSE partners involved in co-design and decision-making from the outset, as well as shared leadership. Neighbourhood Health Plans
will be developed to set and monitor local metrics important to the population in each place. This approach aims to ensure that community-based models of care are genuinely responsive to diverse needs by bringing together community insight, patient experience, engagement findings, and population data.
Key priorities for 2026/27 include embedding Integrated Neighbourhood Teams, improving primary care access, and strengthening system enablers like workforce development and data sharing. The Better Care Fund (BCF) will play a significant role, with substantial investment planned for home-based intermediate care, reablement services, and initiatives to prevent long-term care home admissions. The BCF submission for 2026-27 details a pooled budget of £234.8 million. Specifically, £282k is allocated to enhance home-based intermediate care, including additional staff. A further £280k is invested in reablement services to embed more therapeutic skills. To prevent long-term care home admissions, the Council's 'Newham Living' programme is developing new supported housing, with a capital allocation of £4.5m for 24 new units in 2026/27. The BCF also allocates £3.5m for the Disabled Facilities Grant and £2.6m for reablement, aiming to reduce the conversion from short-term to long-term care.
The Health and Wellbeing Board will provide strategic oversight, ensuring alignment with the borough's wider health and wellbeing strategy and championing prevention, early intervention, and community-based models of care.
