Blog | Experiencing neighbourhood health together

This post is the first in a series of reflections on the neighbourhood simulation showcased at the NHS Providers Annual Conference in November. The simulation created a rare opportunity for meaningful collaboration and direct engagement between citizens, practitioners and innovators.

In this piece, Dr Jim Forrer shares his reflections from supporting the work over two immersive days.

An experience that felt different

Participating in the Manchester simulation was unlike any health and social care event I’ve attended before. What set it apart was the emotional resonance it generated across everyone involved — regardless of job role or professional background.

Most striking was the impact on the citizens who joined us. Their involvement brought to life what it truly feels like to navigate between system partners in search of help, only to encounter unintentional obstacles along the way.

Emotional impact as a catalyst for action

Despite being a simulated scenario, the care environment felt real. It drew us closer to our core purpose: enabling citizens to get what they need to achieve what matters to them.

A particularly powerful aspect was seeing people who rarely interact directly with patients — engineers, data specialists, IT professionals — connecting with the human realities of care. At the same time, GPs gained renewed appreciation for the sheer collective effort needed to provide support, as well as the pressure placed on both citizens and practitioners when infrastructure and processes fall short.

It’s not often possible for everyone involved in designing or delivering care systems to sit face-to-face with real patients. The simulation created a shared, humanising experience that built empathy, understanding and a strong sense of collective purpose.

By the end of day one, the emotional connection naturally evolved into an action driven mindset on day two — a shift from “what we’ve heard” to “what we’re going to do about it.”

I found myself fully absorbed. I felt responsible for the person in front of me, eager to document actions, follow through on commitments and support them as if this were a real clinical encounter. Hours later, I was still thinking about what we could change to make their experience — and those of future patients — smoother, more respectful and more joined up.

Citizens at the centre

What made the simulation work so well wasn’t the equipment or technology — even though both were realistic and much better than the usual product-focused training events. The real difference was the patient’s story. It was a carefully written scenario that showed how complicated a person’s physical, mental and social needs can be. As a GP, I see these challenges every day. What I don’t usually see is the immediate ripple effect of decisions made by colleagues across the system. In a co-located team, following the person’s journey in near real-time allowed me to witness how every action, or delay, shapes their overall experience.

The vignette highlighted just how much work goes into supporting each person. By the end, I had identified seven or eight important actions: medication reviews, voluntary transport arrangements, loneliness support and more.

A closer look at role boundaries and workload

Day two brought another layer of insight. Stepping into the role of an adult social worker revealed just how intensive coordination across services can be. Referrals, communications, follow-ups — each action takes time, and collectively they can become overwhelming.

It was clear how much opportunity exists to use automation and technology to reduce administrative burden and release practitioners to focus on what matters most: people. This is exactly the kind of change I'm excited to influence through our work at Optum.

Where the simulation could go next

While the simulation was highly effective, it could be even more impactful with a few enhancements.

For example:

Ambient voice technology could automatically capture actions and allocate tasks, removing the need for simulated recordkeeping.
A “stage show” format could further illuminate the collaborative nature of multidisciplinary work, making role boundaries and handovers more visible.
Future scenarios could centre even more on systemwide coordination, illustrating how protocols and automation can help practitioners do their best work.

What matters most is accurately representing the real pressures practitioners face: limited time, complex needs and the necessity of seamless teamwork. Demonstrating how tools and processes can support this — especially to people building those tools — is powerful.

The simulation helped dissolve silos in a way few traditional meetings or demonstrations can.

Bringing products and partnerships to life

From an Optum perspective, seeing our technology and analytics solutions in action — alongside Feedback Medical’s Bleepa communication tool and supported by PPL’s excellent facilitation — was invaluable.

This wasn’t a static display. It was a lived demonstration of how our neighbourhood working proposition can tangibly improve experiences and outcomes. The more we can bring our solutions to life in this way, the stronger our impact will be.

Looking ahead: A shared vision for neighbourhood working

For me, the national simulation of neighbourhood health was far more than an exercise. It deepened my understanding of how colleagues across health and social care can work better together with communities and individuals. It reinforced the importance of empathy, collaboration and partnership. And it pointed toward the exciting possibilities ahead for neighbourhood working.

There is much still to do — but the conversations as we wrapped up day two were full of energy, honesty and collective determination. We could all see the challenges ahead more clearly and we could all see how we might tackle them together.

Read our reflections on the neighbourhood simulation report

About the author

Dr Jim Forrer

Clinical Director

Dr Jim Forrer is a Clinical Director at Optum focused on developing services, tools and analysis that support the NHS. He is a practicing GP.