May 27th 2026
“It’s really important that social care is no longer sitting at the edge of the health system but is central to it. If we are serious about neighbourhood health, about prevention, integrated care, and truly supporting people to live well at home for longer, then social care data has to be part of the conversation from the beginning, not added as an afterthought.” Digital Care Hub CEO Michelle Corrigan (taken from the webinar introduction.)
In mid-May this year (2026), Digital Care Hub hosted a webinar exploring what the neighbourhood health agenda could mean for adult social care providers and the impact that could be made if social care data is included from the outset.
The discussion brought together perspectives from policy, provider representation and systems leadership to examine how better partnership working, stronger digital foundations and more effective information sharing could help turn national ambition into practical change.
Across the session, speakers highlighted both the opportunity and the challenge ahead. There was optimism about the potential for neighbourhood approaches to improve coordination, reduce crises and create more person-centred support.
There was also a clear message that this will only happen if the sector is supported with the right digital infrastructure, safe and effective data sharing, and meaningful involvement in local system design.
“Adult social care is not an add-on to neighbourhood health working. It is core. It is a fundamental part of neighbourhood working. So it’s not an addition, it’s pivotal.” Caroline Day, Policy Lead – Health and Social Care Integration, Department of Health and Social Care.
Contributions from provider leaders and those working in neighbourhood pilot areas reinforced that this is not a new way of working for social care, but an area where existing expertise must be better understood and built on. Examples shared during the webinar showed the value of involving providers in strategic forums, multidisciplinary teams and local planning, while also demonstrating how gaps in interoperability and digital readiness can still slow progress.
Claire Kennedy, Joint Chief Executive of PPL has been investigating and testing how this might happen: “None of this is easy, but the simulation proved that it’s doable. It starts with mindset rather than technology. A lot of the tools exist, a lot of the answers exist.”
Often, making collaborative health outcomes work in practice depend on both policy intent, and providers having the tools, confidence and connections they need to participate fully. These points were reflected in the session, alongside discussion around strong digital foundations, workforce confidence, cyber resilience and practical routes for sharing information safely.
Find the webinar recording and key highlights.
See a list of upcoming Digital Care Hub events.
Read our Neighbourhood health policy briefing
Sign up to the Digital Care Hub enewsletter.
We are grateful to all the speakers who joined us for this discussion, for highlighting both the progress already made and the work still to do.
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