St Helens launches neighbourhood health approach with collaborative workshop
Friday, 9 January 2026
Health, care, local authority and voluntary sector partners from across St Helens came together on Tuesday, 9 December for the St Helens Neighbourhood Health Launch Workshop, marking a major step forward in delivering more joined-up, community-centred health and wellbeing support for local residents.
The workshop marked a significant milestone in St Helens’ journey as one of the first areas in the country selected to take part in the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme (NNHIP). St Helens was designated a national ‘pioneer’ under the programme alongside Sefton, recognising the borough’s strong partnerships and commitment to transforming community-level care.
The event formally launched the neighbourhood health approach in St Helens and brought together colleagues from the NHS, St Helens Borough Council, primary care, social care, education, housing and the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sector. The workshop focused on building a shared understanding of neighbourhood health, strengthening relationships, and shaping the next phase of delivery together.
Opening the workshop, Councillor Andy Bowden, St Helens Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health, highlighted the importance of working differently to meet the challenges facing local communities and encouraged attendees to actively shape the programme as it develops.
Throughout the morning, partners explored what neighbourhood health means in practice and how it will be delivered locally through Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs). Neighbourhood health was described as both a model of care and a mindset – focused on people-centred, preventative and community-anchored support, delivered close to home and shaped around local needs rather than organisational boundaries.
Jamaila Hussain, Place Director for St Helens at NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and Executive Director of People at St Helens Borough Council, set out the local vision and the importance of partnership working. Attendees heard how neighbourhood health in St Helens aligns with the NHS 10-Year Health Plan, the borough’s One Neighbourhood Programme, and the wider ambition to tackle health inequalities, improve healthy life expectancy and address the wider determinants of health such as housing, employment, education and social connection.
National learning on effective Integrated Neighbourhood Teams was shared by the National Association of Primary Care (NAPC), alongside local updates on how St Helens is developing four neighbourhood-based INTs. These teams will bring together professionals from across health, social care, housing, education and the VCFSE sector, with collective responsibility for improving outcomes for local populations.
Rachel Frankland, Senior Programme Manager at NHS Cheshire and Merseyside and Local Place Coach for the NNHIP in St Helens, provided an overview of the progress made to date and what INTs may look like. Rachel also set out the intended outcomes of the programme, including reducing unplanned hospital admissions, improving access to services, supporting people to better manage long-term conditions, and improving staff experience.
Interactive group discussions, facilitated by the NAPC, formed a central part of the day, giving participants the opportunity to share what excites them about neighbourhood health, the challenges and concerns they foresee, and the support needed to make this new way of working successful.
Shirley Goodhew, Director of Public Health for St Helens, provided an overview of the health and wellbeing challenges facing St Helens communities, including falling healthy life expectancy, and how neighbourhood-based working can help address these issues.
Sally Yeoman MBE, CEO of Halton and St Helens Voluntary and Community Action, highlighted the vital role of the VCFSE sector, reinforcing its position as an equal partner in neighbourhood health – bringing community insight, trust, innovation and reach into communities that statutory services alone cannot achieve.
The event concluded with a clear focus on next steps, including continued engagement with residents and staff, neighbourhood-specific workshops in early 2026, and further work to build trust, shared leadership and effective ways of working within Integrated Neighbourhood Teams.
Reflecting on the event, Jamaila Hussain said:
“Neighbourhood health is about shifting how we work – moving from fragmented services to strong, trusted relationships rooted in our communities. By bringing health, care, local authority and voluntary sector partners together as integrated neighbourhood teams, we can focus on prevention, tackle inequalities and support people to live healthier lives, close to home.
“The St Helens Neighbourhood Health Launch Workshop marked the beginning of a collective journey to deliver more joined-up, preventative and community-led health and wellbeing support that will be jointly shaped and developed by partners and communities.”
