Neighbourhood Health is at the heart of the Government's plans to move to ensuring more care is delivered at home or closer to home. But the idea is not as radical as it may appear to those outside local government.

The full vision for the health system won't emerge until the Government publishes its 10-Year Health Plan in June, including proposals to help make Neighbourhood Health a reality. Meanwhile some areas are already well advanced in developing an integrated approach to NHS and social care delivery. Outgoing president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (ADASS) Melanie Williams tells The MJ ‘Neighbourhood Health has been around for a long time, and it's what primary care networks were set up for.'