Community hubs bring health and social care closer to home, national study finds

Community hubs are transforming how people access health and social care, according to a major new national study which shows that placing professionals and local support services in familiar community venues is helping individuals get advice and assistance earlier and more easily.

The research found that bringing health and social care staff together with voluntary and community organisations in trusted spaces such as libraries, faith buildings, football clubs and supermarkets removes many of the barriers that can prevent people seeking help. Alongside informal guidance, some hubs also offer formal assessments and practical support including food banks and affordable groceries.

Now operating in more than 30 local areas across the UK, the hubs have been developed through the Community Led Support programme run by the National Development Team for Inclusion. Locally, they often operate under names such as Talking Points, Community Lounges or Places to Talk.

The evaluation was led by researchers from the University of Birmingham and King’s College London, alongside partners in Applied Research Collaborations in South London and the West Midlands. It forms part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research’s National Priority Programme for Adult Social Care and Social Work, coordinated by the University of Kent.

Researchers examined community hubs in four English local authority areas and drew on examples of good practice across the wider Community Led Support network. They identified four key factors for effective hubs: choosing accessible locations with good transport links, bringing together a wide range of professionals and community support, helping people navigate services through volunteers or staff, and actively promoting hubs within communities, particularly to groups who may be excluded from traditional services.

Professor Robin Miller, Principal Investigator at the University of Birmingham, said local areas were increasingly recognising the benefits of community-based access to care. He said: “Local areas can readily see the potential benefits of enabling people and communities to have quicker access to health and social care advice and support through basing professionals and services in local venues. This research helps them to think through the practicalities of setting up and running such hubs so that these most effectively reach the target populations and provide the range of supports which most effectively meet local interests and needs.”

Jenny Pitts, Community Led Support lead at the National Development Team for Inclusion, said the findings reflected what communities have been experiencing on the ground. She said: “Community hubs show what’s possible when support is coproduced and rooted in places people already know and trust. Through CLS, we’ve seen how bringing community-based supports, local venues and professionals together in welcoming spaces helps people get the right advice early, builds stronger relationships and strengthens communities. This research reinforces what local areas tell us every day, that small, informal, accessible spaces can make a big difference to people’s wellbeing and independence.”

Professor Ann-Marie Towers, NIHR National Priority Social Care Lead, said the study highlighted the importance of shifting services closer to communities. She said: “This national study, led by Professor Robin Miller, as part of the NIHR’s National Priority Programme for Social Care and Social Work, has demonstrated the value of bringing professionals to local populations, rather than waiting for individuals to find them. Study findings will support the implementation of this model in other parts of the UK, enabling communities to access information and advice when they need it.”

The Community Led Support approach aligns with wider national policy, including the NHS Long Term Plan and emerging neighbourhood health guidance, which aim to reduce inequalities by delivering more health and care support in trusted local settings.