Healthier Together 2040

    We all want to live in good health for as long as possible, with access to the services we need at a time and place which suits us best.

    But the health and care system needs a major overhaul for this to become a reality for everyone in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

    This is the aim of Healthier Together 2040. Offering hope, and putting people, health and care staff, and communities at the heart of decision-making for the complex health and wellbeing challenges we face now and in the future.

    Why is it important now?

    The spotlight on health and care services has never been brighter, with things like the Covid-19 pandemic, hospital overcrowding, young people’s mental health, and people living longer all contributing to pressures on our health and care system.

    Alongside these pressures, various studies by the Health Foundation have shown the general state of people’s health is in decline. This is further supported in a report published by Lord Darzi in September 2024 showing how health decline contributes to the NHS being over-stretched.

    We want to shift the balance from waiting until people are unwell, then treating them in hospitals, to a greater focus on keeping people healthy and well in our communities.

    With declining health and these extra pressures on our current health and care system, a better way of organising local health and care services is needed for people in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.

    Who is it for?

    Healthier Together 2040 is for everyone living in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire who uses health and care services now and into the future. To ensure everyone is able to access health and care, we are identifying and working with groups of people who may need the most support in future, including:

    • Children and young people
    • People with multiple health needs who are also disadvantaged – such as those living with a learning disability, drug / alcohol dependency, or homelessness
    • People living with multiple long-term conditions (like pain, diabetes, or depression) who are working and may be caring for others
    • Older people with multiple long-term health conditions which impact their day-to-day lives.

    What do we already know?

    The first phase of Healthier Together 2040 has reviewed national and local trends to shape how the local health and care system might need to change by 2040. Here are some important considerations:

    • People will likely live for longer in poor health, experiencing multiple health conditions from a younger age
    • Individuals in more deprived areas will face these health challenges at a higher rate and at younger age, driven by inequalities and a collision of health and social factors
    • The working-age population is growing more slowly than older population groups, presenting workforce and economic challenges
    • Many existing buildings, particularly in primary care, are no longer fit for purpose. With many more houses due to be built locally, the expected population increase will drive further demand
    • Currently there is a concentration of health and care services in urban areas, while many older people live in rural communities
    • A greater focus on mental wellbeing is needed, especially for young people, working-age adults, and healthcare staff
    • New technologies including AI (Artificial Intelligence), treatments and digital health solutions, along with climate change, political and economic instability and potential future pandemics will present opportunities and potential threats.

    Where does Healthier Together 2040 fit in?

    Healthier Together 2040 will help enable local health and care services across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire to move to a better future for people and staff over the next 15 years and beyond.

    There are three linked projects as follows:

    • The Integrated Care System (ICS) Strategy. This was published in 2023 when the ICS was first established. It helps to identify areas of priority and focus – informing the Joint Forward Plan.
    • The Joint Forward Plan is updated every year as a five-year rolling plan which every Integrated Care Board in England is required to publish (on behalf of their ICS).
    • The NHS 10 Year Plan is a national, health-focused plan setting out how England will create a truly modern health service designed to meet the changing needs of the population.

    What happens next?

    So far, Healthier Together 2040 has been focused on health discussions with patients and health professionals, analysing existing health data, and identifying population groups most in need of health and care support in future who may not be getting it now.

    In the next phase, Healthier Together 2040 will look more closely at these different groups and communities, to map out what changes are needed and how these can best be delivered while giving people as much choice as possible.

    Starting by looking at the working age population, a series of in-depth workshops in Spring 2025 will:

    • Set out future options and impacts, agree goals, and how progress will be measured
    • Identify current good practice and where change is needed first
    • Spot opportunities at a very local level but also across the whole of Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
    • Ensure the right leadership is in place to ensure Healthier Together 2040 is supported and delivered.

    For more information, or to get involved, please contact us by email at bnssg.ht2040.delivery.unit@nhs.net