Browne Jacobson is collaborating with local government and healthcare experts to develop a practical way for neighbourhood working to thrive.

The UK and Ireland law firm has partnered with the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU) and NHS Transformation Unit (NHS TU) to develop repeatable, scalable approaches that make neighbourhood working easier to deliver in practice. 

The twin workstreams will aim to help councils, as well as health commissioning and provider organisations across the public and voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise (VCFSE) sectors, to achieve better joined-up services, citizen experiences, early intervention, responses to place-based inequalities, and equity and inclusion across health and social care.

From the rollout of neighbourhood health centres in the 10-Year Health Plan to family hubs in children’s services, adult social care, neighbourhood policing and the UK Government’s Plan for Neighbourhoods, working at neighbourhood level is now central to how national and local government engage with people and communities. 

The forthcoming Devolution and Community Power Bill will go further, requiring local authorities to introduce neighbourhood governance arrangements.

James Arrowsmith, Partner specialising in social care at Browne Jacobson, said: “With neighbourhoods being increasingly understood as the most meaningful level at which public services connect with people’s everyday lives, there are many recognised benefits to operationalising neighbourhood working for councils and healthcare providers.

“Central government policy is positioning neighbourhoods as a site of service delivery and governance, spanning local government, the NHS, social care, policing, skills and employment. 

“Alongside this, councils and health systems are navigating severe financial pressures, integrated care system reforms, local government reorganisation, workforce challenges, rising demand and complexity of needs.

“The challenge is not whether to work at neighbourhood level, but how to do it well, safely and sustainably. This requires a real shift to engaging, empowering and investing in neighbourhoods, as well as the people and organisations in them. This has to be done in a way that reflects the needs and priorities of these communities, now and into the future, with long-term financial stability, including multi-year funding commitments that endure beyond political cycles.”

The project will concentrate on the “missing middle” – the practical, organisational and legal foundations that allow neighbourhood working to flourish. Findings will be published in reports, alongside events and sector engagement throughout 2026.

Working with the LGiU, Browne Jacobson will explore what it takes for councils to embed neighbourhood working as an organisational approach. 

This will cover areas such as leadership and organisational design, resource planning and decision-making, workforce development, public engagement, data and impact, and strategic partnerships.

Jon Gleek, Head of Research and Policy at LGIU, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Browne Jacobson on this vital sector research. While the case for change in neighbourhood working is clearly established, we look forward to collaborating with our member councils to systematically explore the practicalities of mobilising this crucial work within their organisations, their partnerships with the NHS and other public services, and most importantly, for the benefit of their communities.

“Focusing on the latest insights on how this is being developed by councils and local systems will be crucial to the success of many local and national flagship projects, most notably the Pride in Place programme. 

“We are delighted to be working with a diverse cohort of councils and Browne Jacobson for this research and look forward to sharing the research findings over the coming months.”

Joint research with the NHS TU, meanwhile, will aim to understand how healthcare systems can create value from scale while strengthening neighbourhood-level services. It will provide support to organisations on navigating governance, accountability and integration across complex provider landscapes.

This will be of particular interest in the NHS-local government interface, workforce and digital enablement, and the citizen and community experience of neighbourhood care – areas where evidence remains underdeveloped but demand for practical guidance is high.

Jess Boothroyd, Delivery Director at NHS TU, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Browne Jacobson on this important project to help explore what a successful ‘neighbourhood’ involves, and how neighbourhoods can best be developed and sustained. 

“Neighbourhoods are firmly on the NHS agenda, with significant and welcome focus being placed on the opportunities they provide. We are particularly looking forward to exploring what operating within a neighbourhood means in practice for a wide range of providers, including acute, mental health, community and primary care services.

“Through our involvement in the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, we are seeing real energy and innovation across places, with neighbourhoods developing at pace and tailoring delivery models to reflect their local communities. While places are at different stages of maturity, there is clear and encouraging progress and determination to overcome expected implementation challenges. This is particularly evident in the strengthened partnerships, establishment of integrated neighbourhood teams and more co-ordinated, community-led approaches to care.

“We are also excited to be supporting the delivery of this work alongside LGIU, whose local government expertise will bring invaluable insight and strengthen the breadth of the information and connection between local government and health care services

“Our primary focus will be on examining the benefits, challenges and risks of neighbourhood working across health and social care, with a clear aim of defining how neighbourhood working can be achieved effectively and sustainably. We look forward to engaging in meaningful conversations and sharing our findings throughout.”

Rebecca Hainsworth, Partner in the health and life sciences team at Browne Jacobson, added: “The government has set ambitious targets for reform across public services, backed by significant planned investment, and emphasising regional growth and devolution. 

“In health, this ambition is crystallising around neighbourhood working – the principle that care, prevention and support should be organised and delivered close to where people live, rooted in communities and built on genuine partnerships across the NHS, local government, and the wider public sector.

“Together, the two workstreams with the LGiU and NHS TU seek to build a joined-up picture of neighbourhood working across health and local government – exploring where integration is working, where it is not, and what conditions make neighbourhood models sustainable and impactful.”

Both reports are expected to be drafted in the second half of 2026. To stay up to date on report developments and upcoming events, or register your interest in getting involved with the neighbourhood working programme.