WHAT DOES
NEIGHBOURHOOD HEALTH MEAN FOR COMMUNITY PHARMACY PRACTICE IN NORTHERN IRELAND
A Policy Perspective By Chris Garland, Senior Principal Pharmaceutical Officer, Department of Health.
Delivery will be driven through five Neighbourhood Moves:
1 Anticipatory and Proactive Community Care, expanding community-based frailty, nursing, pharmacy, mental health and social care services to prevent deterioration and avoidable hospital attendance.
2 Transfer Services to INTs, moving suitable services and resources from hospitals into neighbourhoods.
3 Reduce Outpatient Attendance and Follow-ups, increasing use of virtual consultations, patient initiated follow-up and community-based care.
4 Redesign Clinical Pathways, enabling GPs, multidisciplinary teams and community pharmacists to provide more complex care closer to home.
5 Improve Discharge and Hospital Flow,
strengthening community support to help people return home safely and sooner.
Northern Ireland’s Health and Social Care (HSC) system is under pressure from rising demand and growing complexity of care. In response, the Neighbourhood Model of Health and Wellbeing is a long-term reform programme that aims to bring care closer to home, strengthen prevention, coordinate services and enable earlier access to support before problems escalate.
Launched in March, the Neighbourhood Model marks a major shift towards community- based care. Over time, health, social care and community partners will work together through 17 Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) aligned with existing GP Federation footprints. These teams bring together professionals and organisations that have traditionally worked separately, creating partnerships focused on improving health and wellbeing within local communities.
Initially, INTs will focus on supporting older people to remain independent, stay well at home and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions. Over time, more services and support will be delivered within community settings, helping people access the right care in the right place at the right time. Transformation will commence this year supported by a mixed funding approach, including HSC resources to run INTs, innovation and industry funding for service redesign and the transfer of 2% of hospital-based expenditure each year into neighbourhood-delivered services over three years.
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Expected outcomes include fewer avoidable hospital admissions and emergency department attendances; improved patient flow through hospitals; greater access to specialist care within communities; increased independence; and better experience for patients, carers and families.
Ultimately, the
Neighbourhood Model aims to reduce health inequalities, improve population health and create a more sustainable HSC system.
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