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Place-based partnerships: the new kid on the block

by lev pedro & aimie cole - november 2022

Place-based partnerships are a key part of the new NHS Integrated Care Systems (ICS).

These partnerships operate at what the NHS calls “place” — often one or two local authority areas. They might have different names (e.g. integrated locality partnerships or local care partnerships), but their purpose is the same: to bring partners together locally to improve health and wellbeing.

We’re currently working with Kensington & Chelsea Council and One Westminster to shape a strategy for how the voluntary and community sector (VCS) can work together — and with the NHS — in their place-based partnership.

So far, we’ve heard from more than 50 local organisations, NHS and council colleagues. Their insights highlight what needs to change to make these partnerships work in practice.

What a good place-based partnership looks like
1. People’s experiences come first

  • People feel empowered, involved and engaged from the start.

  • Services are timely, person-centred, and address both clinical and social determinants of health.

  • People with lived experience — from different communities and identities — are actively involved in service planning. Their concerns are acted upon, not just acknowledged.

2. It’s built on relationships and culture change

  • The VCS is embedded in a shared culture, rather than being asked to “fit in” to an NHS restructure.

  • Two-way communication is the norm: partners can “pick up the phone” to solve problems.

  • Clear channels allow people furthest from decision-making to raise concerns and stay informed.

3. Integration and inclusion are core principles

  • Integration goes beyond NHS and VCS — it includes local authorities, transport, housing, advice services, criminal justice, and more.

  • The full range of VCS organisations (from small community groups to larger specialist providers) are supported to participate.

  • Data and intelligence from diverse sources, including lived experience, is valued and used to inform planning.

4. The focus is broader than medical care

  • Prevention, early intervention and tackling inequalities are prioritised alongside clinical pathways.

  • Clinicians, including GPs, feel supported to connect people with community resources that address social, emotional and practical needs.

  • Wellbeing outcomes are valued, not just clinical measures.

Making the VCSE role sustainable

For the voluntary and community sector to play the serious role envisaged by policy, sustainability must be addressed:

  • All VCS functions — delivery, strategic input, voice, representation, leadership and infrastructure — must be recognised and invested in.

  • Commissioning processes should be reformed, with:

    • Adequate time for partnership bids

    • A mix of grants and contracts suitable for different project sizes

    • Competitive tendering no longer used as the default.

Why this matters

Place-based partnerships offer a real opportunity to build inclusive, integrated local systems that respond to communities — not just clinical systems. But success depends on culture, relationships and sustainable investment in the VCS.

We’d love to hear from you: do these insights reflect what’s happening in your area?

👉 Contact us to share your perspective.

About Shared Purpose

Shared Purpose works with charities, VCSE alliances and public sector bodies to build strategic partnerships, strengthen governance, and shape health and care transformation at place, system and national levels.
 

👉 Book a call to talk to us about how we can help your organisation shape ICS strategy and delivery.

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