There’s a lot of conversation right now about the NHS “left shift” - the ambition to move from treatment to prevention, from analogue to digital and from hospital to community.
But what does this really look like in practice? Have we fully thought through what it means on the ground?
Take neighbourhood health centres. These are described as: “…the place to go for most health needs in every community, bringing together general practice alongside community, local authority and voluntary sector services. Open at least 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, delivering more coordinated care and better patient outcomes.”
It’s an inspiring vision. But what are the practical realities behind it?
- Who is responsible for running and maintaining these spaces day-to-day
- Where are the places already making this work, and what can we learn from them?
- What skills, capacity and support will communities need as more care shifts out of hospital settings?
- And ultimately: are we ready?
Continuing on from our initial discussions during June, we invite you to join us as we look at the three key shifts in the NHS 10 Year Plan.
Tickets are freely available to all Somerset VCFSE organisations and cross system partners.
