Buckinghamshire showcases local health innovation during Chief Medical Officer visit

As part of his national information‑gathering programme focused on small towns and rural areas to inform his next annual report, Professor Whitty visited several Buckinghamshire initiatives demonstrating how local action can make a real difference to people’s lives.

The delegation visited Elmhurst Primary School, where discussions focused on:

• Smoke‑free school gates
• Air quality and road safety
• Use of parks and green spaces
• Healthy food and wellbeing initiatives

They also went to The Swan Practice and Buckingham Community Hospital, where NHS partners showcased:

• Integrated neighbourhood health and connected care
• Proactive frailty clinics
• Opportunities and challenges associated with delivering services in rural areas, including connectivity and infrastructure

The visit also included Buckingham Library, highlighting the Healthy Libraries Programme and the role of libraries as trusted, accessible community hubs supporting health and wellbeing across the life course through information, activities and partnership working.

Speaking after the visit, Isobel Darby, Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, said:

“It’s been a pleasure to welcome Professor Whitty to Buckinghamshire today so he can see first-hand some of the important work on health and wellbeing we are delivering with our NHS partners in the county. Life in towns, villages and in rural settings creates different opportunities and challenges for health than more urban areas and being able to show how the council and the NHS addresses health and wellbeing through local services and policies has been really valuable. We are sure other areas can learn from many of the programmes and approaches we have adopted in Buckinghamshire and we are pleased to be helping to shape such an important national policy document.”

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit Buckinghamshire, and to hear more about the excellent work happening to meet the needs of communities across the county. In rural areas, delivering healthcare and public health services to dispersed populations across a large geography can be a significant challenge. It was encouraging to see how strong partnership working – between the council, NHS, and other local partners – is helping to overcome these challenges and to improve health outcomes for local communities.”

Raghuv Bhasin, Chief Executive at Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Professor Whitty to Buckinghamshire and highlight the progress we’re making through neighbourhood working, bringing partners together to provide more joined-up, proactive care.

Visits like this show how strong local relationships across health, local government and community organisations are helping us respond to the specific challenges of rural communities and deliver care closer to home.”