How digital enables neighbourhood health

This podcast episode recorded at day one of Digital Health Rewired 2026 explores how technology and data can help deliver neighbourhood health. The NHS 10 year health plan includes the creation of a Neighbourhood Health Service, which aims to bring care closer to home and reduce healthcare inequalities. Neighbourhood health teams will bring together multi-disciplinary professionals to focus on patients with multiple long-term conditions and people with complex needs. In this episode of Digital Health Unplugged, host Jordan Sollof discusses the new service with Ben Hampshire, regional director at Optum, and Dr Rowan Sil, chief clinical information officer (CCIO) at Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland Integrated Care System (ICS). Hampshire highlights the digital capabilities required to make the neighbourhood health model work effectively, including the use of data for population health management, tools to support elective recovery, and technologies that help patients to ‘wait well’. Dr Sil discusses the importance of equipping clinicians with joined-up systems and the role of digital in connecting voluntary and community organisations into neighbourhood care pathways. They also examine the importance of ensuring that underserved populations are not excluded from digitally enabled neighbourhood care and share some real-world examples of where neighbourhood working is already making a difference. Guests: Ben Hampshire, regional director at Optum Dr Rowan Sil, CCIO at Leicester, Leicester and Rutland ICS