Pioneering Liverpool neighbourhood health model keeping people out of hospital wins national NHS Excellence Award

A Liverpool initiative has been named the national winner of the Neighbourhood Health Award at the NHS Excellence Awards 2026, recognising its pioneering work to deliver proactive, community-based care that helps people stay well and avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.

The award, presented at this year’s NHS ConfedExpo, recognises the Liverpool Place Population Management model, an approach that uses linked health and care data to identify people most at risk of deteriorating health and provide coordinated support before they reach crisis point.

The Liverpool Place Population Health Management (Proactive Care) project was previously named the North West regional champion before progressing to the national finals. The project demonstrates how data can be used to identify people who may be at risk of worsening health outcomes earlier, enabling health and care teams to provide timely support and interventions before a crisis occurs.  

Judges praised Liverpool’s “mature, system-wide model” and highlighted its innovative use of population health management to bring together services and target people most in need of support. They described the programme as a “working, city-scale example” of the neighbourhood health model set out in the NHS 10 Year Health Plan.

Using linked data, population health management approaches and advanced analytics, the project helps neighbourhood teams identify individuals who may benefit from additional support. This allows services to move from a reactive model of care to a more proactive approach, helping people stay healthier for longer while reducing avoidable hospital admissions and pressure on frontline services.

The approach brings together telehealth monitoring, integrated care teams, community respiratory specialists and wider partner organisations to support people living with conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic kidney disease and frailty. By combining data-driven insights with clinical expertise and community-based care, the programme has demonstrated how information can be transformed into meaningful action that improves outcomes for patients. 

Dr Janet Bliss, a Liverpool GP who attended the ceremony and received the award on behalf of Liverpool Place, said:

“This is a huge achievement and reflects the scale and ambition of what we’ve built alongside our local partners, as well as our shared commitment to providing people with the highest standards of care.

“This award recognises the dedication of colleagues across the system, and demonstrates what can be achieved when organisations come together around a shared vision of proactive, person-centred care.”

To find out more listen to Dr Janet Bliss talk about the importance of population health management approaches: NHS Excellence awards video.

Andrea Astbury, Associate Director of Population Health Management Strategy, said: 

“The work in Liverpool has been unique because it draws together so many teams and specialities; all centred around the needs of local patients.  Our data led approach drives the alignment and co-ordination of multiple services and sectors; helping to reduce fragmentation and duplication of effort, and improve patient experience.”

Listen to Dr Janet Bliss and Andrea Astbury talking about the Population Management at the awards: NHS Excellence Award Winners - Neighbourhood Health Award, Liverpool Place Population Management. 

The award recognises the collaborative efforts of NHS organisations, local authorities, academic partners and community services working together through Data into Action to use data and evidence to improve population health and reduce health inequalities.

Winning the national Neighbourhood Health Award is a significant milestone for the Data into Action programme and provides further recognition of its vision to turn data into better outcomes for people and communities across Cheshire and Merseyside. The award highlights the value of using data not simply to understand health needs, but to act on them. By helping partners identify risks earlier, target support more effectively and design services around the needs of local populations, Data into Action is enabling a more preventative and personalised approach to care.

To read more about the Data into Action programme and the Liverpool Place Population Health Management project, visit the Our Work page: Our Work