St George’s Health and Wellbeing Hub has been shortlisted for a Health Service Journal Award in the category Integrated Care Initiative of the Year.

Opened in November 2024, the hub is a purpose-built facility that brings together health, social care, and voluntary services all under one roof, shifting more care into the community and reducing reliance on hospital services.

Residents can access a wide range of services including diagnostics, primary care, community health, mental health support, housing and welfare links, rehabilitation, prevention programmes, and creative therapies. The space also includes an Early Cancer and Community Diagnostic Hub, an integrated café, education facilities, and communal gardens offering eco-therapy.

Community voices have been central throughout the development of the initiative. In early workshops, residents expressed a clear need for a space that felt welcoming, responsive, and inclusive. They asked for services that were easy to navigate, seamlessly connected with social care, and focused on wellness rather than illness. These aspirations became the foundation of the hub’s design and ethos, with health and care partners working in close collaboration over several years to bring that vision to life.

Irvine Muronzi, Integrated Care Director of Havering, said:

“The key feature of the hub is its emphasis on community wellbeing - there is a café for socialising, multi-purpose educational and meeting spaces, multi-faith room and a sensory dementia-friendly communal garden for relaxation and inclusivity. It is truly a community hospital in your back garden, supported by a wonderful team local volunteer, everyone is welcome to visit.”

Luke Burton, Joint Director of Partnerships, Impact and Delivery for Havering at NHS North East London, said:

“We're delighted the hub has been shortlisted for this award – it's testament to the collaborative efforts of everyone involved. From the start of the initial planning phase, partners worked closely with the community to ensure the site design and services available were tailored to meet local needs. We now have a fantastic integrated facility, which is helping us ease pressure on local hospitals, provide quicker access to diagnostic tests and treatment, and support our patients in a joined-up way. It will be a huge asset to people in Havering and the surrounding area for many years to come.”  

Fiona Wheeler, Chief Operating Officer at BHRUT, said: 

"We're delighted the hub has been shortlisted for this award. It shows what we’ve achieved by working together to bring care closer to home, see patients quicker and reduce pressure on our busy hospitals. We're transforming how we support people in the community, with outpatient clinics and same-day tests at the hub as well as the Ageing Well Centre which provides a better experience for frail and elderly patients than going into hospital."