The Pride in Place initiative was launched as a new way for Government to work in partnership with communities and neighbourhoods. Backed by £5bn over the next decade, this strategy aims to restore pride, belonging and opportunity in some of the UK's most disadvantaged neighbourhoods. 

But beyond revitalising high streets and improving public spaces, Pride in Place has profound implications for health and the NHS has a pivotal role to play. 

Health is deeply rooted in place. Where we live influences everything from access to green spaces and healthy food to opportunities for social connection. The Pride in Place programme recognises this by targeting areas with entrenched deprivation. These are places where poor housing, isolation and lack of local infrastructure often translate into worse health outcomes and higher demand on NHS services. 

This aligns perfectly with current NHS priorities. The Neighbourhood Health Programme requires healthcare leaders to team up with local providers, councils, voluntary groups and members of their communities to develop plans ‘at place'. The aim is to create integrated neighbourhood health models, emphasising population health management and community-led approaches to improve health and reduce inequalities.

The Worcestershire ‘Priority Neighbourhood Health' Programme

Worcestershire offers a compelling example of how place-based approaches can transform health through our Priority Neighbourhood Development (PND) programme. This is a targeted initiative addressing health inequalities in the most deprived areas. Using hospital admission data, the public health team and its NHS partners identified 14 neighbourhoods with high unmet health needs and focused resources there. Residents were engaged in co-production and grants supported local voluntary groups to build capacity. 

This approach has already delivered measurable improvements, with a demonstrated reduction in hospital admissions and children's social care demand. 

The initiative won national recognition, including the LGC Public Health Award.  It demonstrates the power of combining data-driven planning with community empowerment—the very principles underpinning Pride in Place. 

The new Pride in Place initiative has dovetailed perfectly with this work. With funding confirmed for areas such as Greenlands in Redditch, Birchen Coppice in Wyre Forest and Warndon West in Worcester, Worcestershire is poised to scale up this success. Pride in Place will deliver £20m over 10 years, enabling projects that tackle health inequalities head-on: from improving housing and transport to creating safe spaces for physical activity and social connection.

How the NHS can get involved 

The Pride in Place strategy devolves decision-making to neighbourhood boards, which will include residents, councils and local organisations. NHS partners should seek representation on these boards. Their involvement can ensure that regeneration plans incorporate health priorities, such as:

• Utilisation of NHS data:  Feeding in disease prevalence and service demand data to influence priorities for investment within the Pride in Place areas.
• Community health hubs: Co-locating health and community-focused services to increase uptake of preventative programmes such as vaccination.
• Digital inclusion: Supporting initiatives that connect residents to online health resources and telehealth, boosting self-care and use of the NHS App.
• Supporting health projects: Partnering with communities to initiate grassroots health initiatives improving physical activity or mental health.
• Area redevelopment: Aimed at reducing falls, social isolation and improving access for those with disabilities.

This all aligns with the Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme, creating synergy between health and regeneration agendas. These actions can help deliver the Government's ambition for a neighbourhood health service, where care is proactive, personalised and rooted in the community. 

Pride in Place is not just about bricks and mortar—it's about rebuilding trust, resilience and wellbeing. For the NHS, this is a chance to move beyond the hospital walls and become a true partner in community renewal. By embracing this initiative, health leaders can help create neighbourhoods where people not only live longer but live better.

As Worcestershire shows, when public health and local pride come together, the results can be transformative. The challenge now is for NHS organisations everywhere to seize this moment. Healthier places mean healthier people and that's something we can all take pride in.