The importance and power of Neigbourhood working
‘Neighbourhoods’ involve commissioners, community services providers, local authorities, public health, primary care, the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector, and the public working together to meet the needs of local people.
There are eight ‘Neighbourhood Alliances’ across Derbyshire:
Neighbourhood working is all about empowering people to live a healthy life for as long as possible through joining up health, care and community support for citizens and individual communities.
To deliver this vision we are working out what people and local communities need to stay well and what already works.
We then focus on making sure we use the resources we have to support people’s wellbeing, which stretches far beyond the ability to access a hospital, see a GP or receive care in a bed and is far more personalised.
Derbyshire is a big county with a vibrant, busy city which altogether has a population of more than one million – a big place to understand. So we have broken the whole county into eight areas and called them ‘Neighbourhood Alliances’. This helps to make sure care and support best meets the needs of local people.
How do Neighbourhood Alliances work?
The eight Neighbourhood Alliances each have a group of key decision-makers, from health, care and local organisations, the public and patients. This ensures the plans reflect the views of local people.
The Neighbourhood Executive sets the framework for the Neighbourhood Alliances. The Executive is responsible for using the available resources to make sure there are equitable services for people living and working in the city and county.
What are the priorities?
- All Neighbourhood Alliances are focusing on supporting people to stay well for longer through a consistent set of work areas which include frailty, falls, care homes and supporting people to die well
- In addition each Neighbourhood Alliance is focusing on what local people need in that area as regards their health and wellbeing.
Neighbourhood-based care
To support this care we are accelerating the pace and scale of the work we have started through previous transformation programmes in the north and south of the county to ‘join up’ primary care, mental health, community services, social care and the third (VCFSE) sector.
In this way these teams operate as a single team to wrap care around a person and their family, tailoring services to different community requirements.
Amber Valley
Amber Valley is one of the eight Neighbourhood Alliances in Derbyshire, taking its name from the River Amber, and includes the market towns of Heanor, Ripley, Heanor and Belper.
Bolsover and NE Derbyshire
Bolsover and NE Derbyshire is one of Derbyshire’s eight Neighbourhood Alliances, completely encircling Chesterfield and bordering Nottinghamshire to the east and South Yorkshire to the north.
Chesterfield
Chesterfield is famous for its crooked spire and many other historic sites, and the Neighbourhood Alliance in this charming Derbyshire town is working hard to improve health and social care for the whole population.
Derby City
Derby City Neighbourhood Alliance covers the greatest and most densely concentrated population of all eight neighbourhoods in Derbyshire.
Derbyshire Dales
The most westerly of the county’s Neighbourhood Alliances, where half the population is aged over 75, the Dales has many health challenges.
Erewash
Erewash sits in the south-east of Derbyshire, between Derby and Nottingham, focused around the market towns of Ilkeston and Long Eaton, and it benefits from an established, mature Neighbourhood Alliance.
High Peak
High Peak Neighbourhood Alliance includes the famous Dark Peak area of the Peak District National Park, as well as the important market towns of Buxton and Glossop.
South Derbyshire
South Derbyshire’s vibrant, lively and inclusive Neighbourhood Alliance encompasses the interests of a large, diverse population by building and expanding upon strong existing local strategic partnerships.