Reflections on the 5th Chapter of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams

I came away from the 5th Chapter of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams feeling both encouraged and frustrated in equal measure. That tension, I think, is an honest reflection of where the system is right now, and perhaps where it needs to be challenged most.

There was a genuine energy in the room around doing things differently. Incredible services doing wildly brilliant things in their communities, driven by wildly creative people. The conversations throughout the day centred on prevention, keeping people well for longer, reducing health inequalities, and supporting people closer to home rather than relying on hospital-based care. These are all principles that sit at the heart of what we do at iCareiMove, so it was genuinely reassuring to hear that the wider system is moving in this direction.

What struck me most was that everyone in the room seemed to recognise the scale of the challenge we face: an ageing population, increasing levels of frailty, more people living with long-term conditions, growing demand on services, and a workforce under significant pressure. There was also a clear and honest acknowledgement that the current model is too often reactive, stepping in when people reach crisis point, rather than intervening earlier to prevent things from escalating. The opportunity to be a step ahead of that curve is real, and the appetite to take it is there.

And yet I also left feeling that whilst prevention is talked about a great deal, there remains a significant gap between the ambition and the reality. We know that keeping people active, connected, and independent reduces demand on health and social care services. The evidence is there and the logic is clear. But prevention continues to struggle for meaningful investment, because the benefits are often seen further down the line, and the system still tends to fund what is urgent over what is important. The question that stayed with me on the drive home was this: how do we move from conversations about prevention to genuinely funding and embedding it within neighbourhood health models?

From my perspective, the day reinforced just how relevant iCareiMove’s work is to the future of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams. Whether it’s falls prevention, stroke recovery, support for neurological and long-term conditions, or healthy ageing more broadly, we are already delivering interventions that align with many of the priorities discussed throughout the day. We are not waiting for the system to catch up, we are already in communities, already working alongside NHS teams, already demonstrating that community-based preventative services can make a measurable difference.

I was also encouraged by the number of conversations underway around partnership working. It was clear that no single organisation can solve these challenges alone, and there was a real openness to collaboration between the NHS, local authorities, community organisations, and independent providers. That openness is where the most meaningful pathways will be built.

I left with the following key takeaways from the day:

Prevention is finally becoming a central part of the conversation, not a footnote.

There is widespread recognition that the current system is under significant and unsustainable pressure.

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams offer a genuine opportunity to work differently and reach people earlier.

Collaboration between sectors will be critical, no single organisation holds all the answers.

Community-based preventative services have a key and growing role to play.

We need to continue demonstrating both the health benefits and the financial value of prevention.

The biggest challenge remains moving from strategy and discussion to implementation and sustained investment.

Most importantly, I left with a renewed sense that the work we are doing is not only relevant, but increasingly necessary. The direction of travel is right and the desire is there, now the work is to turn that desire into practical action, sustainable investment, and measurable outcomes that benefit both individuals and the wider health and care system. For us, that work is already underway, and days like this remind us exactly why it matters.

If you’re thinking about how to turn prevention from conversation into action, get in touch, I’d welcome the discussion. And if you want to see what that looks like on the ground, visit Supporting Older Adults Through Movement | iCareiMove

iCareiMove | Movement at the Centre of Lifelong Wellbeing | Part of the Future Fit Group