In this Intelligent Health interview – ‘Neighbourhood Health and the future of our communities’ wellbeing, Dr Helen Kingston explains how Frome Medical Practice has spent 15 years blending traditional clinical care with community-based support to improve health outcomes. She emphasises that this isn’t about replacing medical treatment — it’s about giving health professionals more options to choose from so each patient receives the most appropriate care. By building strong holistic community support, supporting prevention, and reducing crises, this approach is easing demand on overstretched services like A&E, 999 and GP practices.
In response to the question asking how to take stress off A&Es, 999 and GPs, Dr Helen Kingston answered, “I think we need to look at what’s already there (in Frome, community development workers are embedded into primary care. They have combined health coaches and link workers employed in primary care. They’re an integral part of the practice’s workforce, helping to support people stay well and find resources, without the need for medical intervention). Linking those community resources into primary care really helped us to have different conversations with patients. So, it’s embedding those approaches into our routine work that is really important and being able to link and collaborate and work with other organisations.
The NHS has, in some areas, become very siloed. We need to break down those barriers, have good working relationships and not follow criteria-based care. We need to look at what’s best for an individual and then find a way forward with them.”
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