Isles of Scilly Residents Invited to Shape Future of NHS Care

Three Days, Four Islands: Scilly Residents Get Rare Chance to Reshape NHS Care

Living on the Isles of Scilly comes with postcard views and a very particular set of health challenges. Now islanders are being asked, directly, what needs to change.

People across the Isles of Scilly are being invited to help shape the future of local health, wellbeing and care services through a series of drop-in sessions, workshops and community visits taking place on Tuesday 19th May, Wednesday 20th May and Thursday 21st May.

Teams from the NHS, the Council and local health and care partners will be running events on St Mary’s and the off-islands to listen to local experiences, share plans and gather ideas to inform future services as part of the Neighbourhood Health programme.

The engagement follows the building of the Isles of Scilly Health and Care Partnership, which is centred around a new integrated model of care designed to support island communities and future-proof services for years to come.

Why the visit matters

Dr John Garman, Neighbourhood Health Clinical Director for the Isles of Scilly, said: “Island life brings many strengths but also unique health challenges. Hearing directly from residents, including children, young people, carers and people with lived experience, is essential if we are to continue improving care in a way that truly works for our communities.”

Cllr Avril Mumford, Lead Member for Adults at the Council of the Isles of Scilly, said: “I encourage everyone on Scilly to take this opportunity to meet with the Neighbourhood Health team at these engagement events. Whether you have experience of accessing health services from the islands for years, or you have only just arrived here and would like to share your more recent experience, your feedback is important as we work to build a complete picture of the challenges our community faces in the realities of island life.”

Avril added: “Officers and Members of the Council will be in attendance to listen to as many people as possible. We want to make sure everyone’s experiences and views are captured by the Neighbourhood Health team, so if you can’t make it to one of the engagement sessions across the islands, please make sure you complete their online survey.”

Libby Ryan-Davies, Chief Strategic Planning and Commissioning Officer for NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly, said: “I’m really looking forward to meeting local people as part of our important visit to shape future health and care services that reflect the realities and needs of living on Scilly. These sessions are about listening to local voices, understanding what matters most, and continuing to design services that are easier to access, closer to home and better connected.”

Juliet Ferris, Place Director for the Isles of Scilly, said: “This visit is about being visible, accessible and open to conversation. Whether people choose to drop in for a chat, take part in a workshop or invite us into a community group, every contribution will help influence how services develop in the years ahead.”

Who can take part

All islanders are welcome. That includes local residents and workers on all islands, families, carers and older residents, community and voluntary organisations, schools, youth groups, and children and young people’s organisations.

Organisers say there are already plenty of smaller networks supporting people’s health and wellbeing on the islands, whether through a formal group or simple neighbourly care, and they want representatives from those groups to come along too.

Community groups can also email [email protected] to request a visit from the neighbourhood team, or to book a creative health and wellbeing session for children and young people during the three days.

The survey

A printed and online survey will launch from Wednesday 20th May, covering staying healthy and well on the islands, planned care and transport, cancer care experiences, access to local health and wellbeing services, and how health, care and community organisations can work better together.

All feedback will be shared with local health and care leaders and used to help shape future plans for the Isles of Scilly.

Where and when

Engagement events are taking place on St Mary’s, Tresco, St Martin’s and St Agnes.

Tuesday 19th May – Tresco Social Room at Tresco Community Centre, 1pm to 4pm. A drop-in session running alongside the Tresco branch surgery visit.

Wednesday 20th May – St Mary’s Wesleyan Chapel, Hugh Town. Drop-ins from 9am to 11am or 1pm to 3pm for informal conversations with the team and local health and wellbeing information. Workshops from 11am to 1pm or 3pm to 5pm, two-hour interactive sessions with presentations and discussion to help shape future health and care plans for the Isles of Scilly. Online workshop from 6pm to 7.30pm, a 90-minute session for those who can’t attend in person (advance booking required).

Wednesday 20th May – St Martin’s Island Hall and Reading Room, 1pm to 4pm. A drop-in session running alongside the St Martin’s branch surgery visit.

Thursday 21st May – St Agnes Island Hall, 1pm to 4pm. A drop-in session running alongside the St Agnes branch surgery visit.

Thursday 21st May – St Mary’s (Cancer care experiences session) Wesleyan Chapel, Hugh Town, 2pm to 5pm. A dedicated session for islanders affected by cancer, including patients, family members and carers, to share their experiences of cancer care while living on the Isles of Scilly. One-to-one conversations are available throughout from 2pm to 5pm, with a facilitated discussion from 3pm to 4pm. Participation is voluntary, confidential and supportive, with different ways to share and signposting to support available.

Full details of events, workshops and the online session, including how to book workshop places, can be found on the NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly engagement page. Drop-ins are also available without booking.