The heart of Neighbourhood care? TEA!

"I felt frustrated...nobody wanted to listen to me... you just felt alone" - Phil

We call hundreds of patients every week. We’ve coached over 3,000 this year alone. Sadly, Phil’s experience is typical.

And Phil’s experience is not surprising. Those of us on the frontline know that, right across the NHS, many people feel they have to fit their needs into the system, that the system imposes its requirements on them.

At Health Navigator, we believe in a “do with” healthcare system, not a “do to” one.

For more than 10 years, we’ve delivered AI-guided clinical coaching to thousands of patients across 100 neighbourhoods, serving a population of 10 million and working with data from 30 acute hospitals across the UK and Ireland.

That experience has taught us two things.

First, demand for unplanned care is highly dynamic; it doesn’t come from the people we sometimes, and perhaps disparagingly, label “frequent flyers". You can read more about that here.

Second, and most relevantly for Phil, we have learnt that patients need a cup of TEA: Trust, Engagement & Activation.

And, as any Brit will tell you, TEA works. We’ve seen a 25% reduction in unplanned bed days, 34% fewer emergency attendances, 24% fewer unplanned admissions and an increase in two year survival.

We have found that it’s crucial to meet people where they are and focus first on what matters to them.

TEA Trust Engagement Activation

Sadly, many people need help to rebuild trust in the NHS, support to re-engage with the services they need, and a skilled expert with a proven methodology to help them activate healthy behaviours and habits.

But, when Trust, Engagement & Activation are in place, patients draw on primary care and wider societal services with more confidence and at the right time. These patients draw strength and life from themselves and their community to live healthier, happier and longer lives - and in so doing draw down fewer resources to support them.

It’s just possible that the key to Neighbourhood health and to a durable reduction in Urgent & Emergency Care is, in truth, TEA.

We’re on a mission to help people take control of their health and stay out of hospital….or, you might say…to offer everyone a cup of TEA!

To see the power of TEA in action, treat yourself for two minutes and watch Phil’s Story of Hope.  And do keep an eye out for the rest of our #StoriesOfHope miniseries on LinkedIn this winter.

Hugh Lloyd-Jukes
Chief Executive, Health Navigator

5th December 2025

 

Please note: Phil talks about historic suicidal feelings in this video. If you or someone you know is struggling, free support is available 24/7: Samaritans 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258. 

About Health Navigator

Health Navigator helps patients take control of their health and stay out of hospital. We deliver proactive population health management services for commissioners and providers.

Our flagship AI for UEC prevention service helps people to reduce their risk of hospital admission and increase their quality of life by identifying people likely to experience extended hospital stays in the next 6 months and offering them clinical coaching.

Providers report significantly improved outcomes, for example: 25% reduction in unplanned bed days, 34% fewer emergency attendances and 24% fewer unplanned admissions. Patients report a much more positive care journey and our customers report better clinical outcomes and more cost-effective delivery of care.

We deliver UK-developed and locally-validated equitable clinical case finding algorithms, intelligent navigation tools and clinically accredited patient coaching services.

Health Navigator supports ICS, providers, IHOs and neighbourhoods to deliver proactive, person-centred, preventative care including to frail individuals and patients with MLTCs.

NHS England has contracted Health Navigator, North East London ICB and UCL Partners to deliver the National Demonstrator of AI-guided clinical coaching.