Gloucestershire ICS Neighbourhood Health Portfolio Board: Shaping the Future of Community-Based Care
Maggie Grady from Mindsong and Gloucestershire VCSE Strategic Partnership explains how Gloucestershire’s health and care system has taken an important step forward with the establishment of the new ICS Neighbourhood Health Portfolio Board.
This group has been created to lead the design and delivery of a long-term vision for health and care that is rooted in communities and shaped by the realities of where people live. This work aligns closely with NHS England’s Fit for the Future 10-year health plan and the Gloucestershire Health and Wellbeing Board’s strategy, both of which prioritise a shift toward Neighbourhood Health.
A Broad and Collaborative Membership
The Neighbourhood Health Portfolio Board brings together partners from across Gloucestershire’s Integrated Care System (ICS), including:
Representatives from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector
Gloucestershire Integrated Care Board (ICB)
Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Gloucestershire County Council
VCSE representation is provided through the VCSE Strategic Partnership, with members:
Maggie Grady (Mindsong)
Vicci Livingstone-Thompson (Inclusion Gloucestershire)
Jill Parker (Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance)
As Gloucestershire’s ICS structures continue to evolve, the board recognises that membership and processes may develop over time. However, there is a strong commitment to pressing ahead with this work to ensure that communities can begin to feel the benefits of a more integrated and place-based approach.
What Do We Mean by Neighbourhood Health?
Different people have different understandings of what ‘Neighbourhood Health’ is and what it might look like. This is still to be clearly defined. Agreed core principles include:
Providing integrated health and care services closer to home
Building strong, meaningful partnerships across the whole system, including VCSE organisations
Working collaboratively with communities, embedding co-production at every stage
Supporting the whole person through holistic care
Focusing on prevention and early intervention.
The Vital Role of the VCSE Sector
There is clear recognition that the VCSE sector will be essential in designing, supporting, and delivering the new Neighbourhood Health model.
VCSE organisations bring deep community connections, specialist knowledge, and the ability to engage people who may not otherwise access statutory services.
To support this role, the system has agreed a new Gloucestershire VCSE–ICB Partnership model, with two key priorities:
Recurrent funding for VCSE infrastructure, ensuring more equitable support across the county
Investment in capacity building, including exploring funding for core costs to strengthen the long-term sustainability of VCSE organisations This marks an important shift toward embedding the VCSE sector as a key partner in Gloucestershire’s ICS.
What Happens Next?
Work is still in its early stages. Over the coming months, the board expects to host a series of cross-system workshops to help co-design the emerging Neighbourhood Health approach. It will be crucial for the VCSE sector to have strong and visible representation in these discussions to ensure the model reflects the realities, needs, and insights of local people and communities.
We will continue to share updates as this programme develops and opportunities for involvement become available.