Lewisham Integrated Neighbourhood Teams - Co-designing with lived experience patients

Share Lewisham Integrated Neighbourhood Teams - Co-designing with lived experience patients on Facebook Share Lewisham Integrated Neighbourhood Teams - Co-designing with lived experience patients on Twitter Share Lewisham Integrated Neighbourhood Teams - Co-designing with lived experience patients on Linkedin Email Lewisham Integrated Neighbourhood Teams - Co-designing with lived experience patients link

We are creating Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs), where Lewisham partners are working with the local community to make sure everyone gets the right care, at the right time, and in the right place.

What are Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) and what they want to do

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) are borough partners (health and social care professionals, housing, etc) who work with local people and communities, particularly those with lived experience of the various parts of health and social care services, whether for themselves or for others. The main INTs aims are:

  1. Help people stay healthy: INTs focus on preventing health problems before they start, offering help early, and providing care when people need it.
  2. Make care work better: INTs want to make sure different health and support services work well together so people don’t have to repeat themselves or feel confused when they need help.

In Lewisham, the initial focus is on long term conditions starting with four cardiovascular (CVD) conditions – atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.

Following the recruitment of people with lived experience to co-design the service to better support people living with multiple CVD conditions, we held four co-design sessions plus introductory and thank you sessions. The design sessions focussed on; communication with patients, designing a new lifestyle questionnaire, group consultations and designing the approach when patients are discharged. The group has also addressed how to make reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities (LD) and serious mental illness (SMI). You can read the full report of the co-design sessions here. We also held a thank you event with all participants at the end and you can read more about that here.

Watch the videos on the right to hear the views of the people involved in the process.

You can read more about the development of neighbourhood health services in Lewisham here.


What is "co-design"?

Co-design means creating something together with the people who have lived through that experience. We join together, share experiences in order to make sure everyone gets the right care. The goal is to keep people healthy, make sure their needs are met, and ensure no one is left behind.

We invited people with lived experience from the following groups to take part:

  • People from Black African and Black Caribbean backgrounds
  • People with complex health conditions
  • People who care for others or are receiving care
  • People who feel lonely or isolated
  • People with disabilities
  • People who don’t have access to the internet or aren’t comfortable using technology
  • People over 65 years old
  • People with limited money, like refugees


We are creating Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs), where Lewisham partners are working with the local community to make sure everyone gets the right care, at the right time, and in the right place.

What are Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) and what they want to do

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) are borough partners (health and social care professionals, housing, etc) who work with local people and communities, particularly those with lived experience of the various parts of health and social care services, whether for themselves or for others. The main INTs aims are:

  1. Help people stay healthy: INTs focus on preventing health problems before they start, offering help early, and providing care when people need it.
  2. Make care work better: INTs want to make sure different health and support services work well together so people don’t have to repeat themselves or feel confused when they need help.

In Lewisham, the initial focus is on long term conditions starting with four cardiovascular (CVD) conditions – atrial fibrillation, hypertension, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease.

Following the recruitment of people with lived experience to co-design the service to better support people living with multiple CVD conditions, we held four co-design sessions plus introductory and thank you sessions. The design sessions focussed on; communication with patients, designing a new lifestyle questionnaire, group consultations and designing the approach when patients are discharged. The group has also addressed how to make reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities (LD) and serious mental illness (SMI). You can read the full report of the co-design sessions here. We also held a thank you event with all participants at the end and you can read more about that here.

Watch the videos on the right to hear the views of the people involved in the process.

You can read more about the development of neighbourhood health services in Lewisham here.


What is "co-design"?

Co-design means creating something together with the people who have lived through that experience. We join together, share experiences in order to make sure everyone gets the right care. The goal is to keep people healthy, make sure their needs are met, and ensure no one is left behind.

We invited people with lived experience from the following groups to take part:

  • People from Black African and Black Caribbean backgrounds
  • People with complex health conditions
  • People who care for others or are receiving care
  • People who feel lonely or isolated
  • People with disabilities
  • People who don’t have access to the internet or aren’t comfortable using technology
  • People over 65 years old
  • People with limited money, like refugees


  • Working with people with lived experience to co-design Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) in Lewisham

    Share Working with people with lived experience to co-design Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) in Lewisham on Facebook Share Working with people with lived experience to co-design Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) in Lewisham on Twitter Share Working with people with lived experience to co-design Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) in Lewisham on Linkedin Email Working with people with lived experience to co-design Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) in Lewisham link

    This year in Lewisham we have been working with local people through a co-design approach to shape a model of care for the development of INTs. We invited local people to join clinicians and other professionals to work together as equal partners to develop a model of care that better meet their needs.

    Dr Camille Hirons, local GP and Lewisham Clinical Lead for Community Based Care and Integrated Neighbourhoods Teams and Layla Egwenu, Lewisham INT Programme Manager talked with us about their journey and how working with local people have helped design new service from the ground up.

    Working closely with residents, listening to their feedback and learning from lived experiences helped them to plan the service and make practical adjustments based on what matters to people.

    Watch video - Cami

    The team made every effort to accommodate requests and facilitate the interaction with patients in the project. For example, the sessions were held in community spaces around Lewisham making it easier for more people to get involved. Meeting people where they are, was an important part of the process of creating an inclusive and safe space for everyone involved. The value of listening to people and bring innovative ideas helped overcome the challenges.

    The recommendations and feedback made a difference and generated ideas adjusting and improving how the care is delivered such as:

    • Developing an easy read guide available to all
    • More flexible ways to communicate with patients
    • Developed a comprehensive training plan for all staff
    • A smoother, clearer discharge process

    Watch video – Layla


    This approach inspired Cami, Layla and the team. The openness of local people highlighted the lived experience voice is essential. All suggestions, stories or concerns have a real value for service improvements and how the care is planned and delivered.

    Cami and Layla emphasised the importance of feedback and the power of honest and sometimes uncomfortable conversations with people to create meaningful change. ‘It is a positive journey in the end, if you listen to people and hear what they have to say’.

    Developing effective and sustainable services with people and communities, not just for them, is essential, and co-designing care starts with trust and openness to listen.

    This year in Lewisham we have been working with local people through a co-design approach to shape a model of care for the development of INTs. We invited local people to join clinicians and other professionals to work together as equal partners to develop a model of care that better meet their needs.

    Dr Camille Hirons, local GP and Lewisham Clinical Lead for Community Based Care and Integrated Neighbourhoods Teams and Layla Egwenu, Lewisham INT Programme Manager talked with us about their journey and how working with local people have helped design new service from the ground up.

    Working closely with residents, listening to their feedback and learning from lived experiences helped them to plan the service and make practical adjustments based on what matters to people.

    Watch video - Cami

    The team made every effort to accommodate requests and facilitate the interaction with patients in the project. For example, the sessions were held in community spaces around Lewisham making it easier for more people to get involved. Meeting people where they are, was an important part of the process of creating an inclusive and safe space for everyone involved. The value of listening to people and bring innovative ideas helped overcome the challenges.

    The recommendations and feedback made a difference and generated ideas adjusting and improving how the care is delivered such as:

    • Developing an easy read guide available to all
    • More flexible ways to communicate with patients
    • Developed a comprehensive training plan for all staff
    • A smoother, clearer discharge process

    Watch video – Layla


    This approach inspired Cami, Layla and the team. The openness of local people highlighted the lived experience voice is essential. All suggestions, stories or concerns have a real value for service improvements and how the care is planned and delivered.

    Cami and Layla emphasised the importance of feedback and the power of honest and sometimes uncomfortable conversations with people to create meaningful change. ‘It is a positive journey in the end, if you listen to people and hear what they have to say’.

    Developing effective and sustainable services with people and communities, not just for them, is essential, and co-designing care starts with trust and openness to listen.

Page last updated: 02 Apr 2026, 10:38 AM