Five Golden Rings: What System Leaders Can Do in the Next 12 Weeks to Accelerate Integrated Neighbourhood Teams

The actual 12 days of Christmas were a religious observance in medieval and Tudor England, a period of feasting, religious services, and entertainment beginning on Christmas Day and ending on the 6th of January (Epiphany). The lyrics first appeared in a 1780 British children’s book called Mirth Without Mischief and the most widely accepted theory is that it was a memory game for children.

Among the whimsical gifts of the carol, the five gold rings stand out as the only ones built to last.

Just as the song slows and anchors itself at this point, I want to take a moment to pause, re-centre and focus on what truly accelerates neighbourhood working.

When we ask teams what’s slowing down progress, we hear consistent themes: unclear shared vision, inconsistent leadership presence, data challenges, cultural barriers, and limited protected time to work differently.

So, taking inspiration from those five gold rings, here are five golden actions leaders, be they system, service or at team level, can take over the next 12 weeks to set their INTs up for success. Only there aren’t just seasonal extras – they are the lasting foundations every system needs to build sustainable integrated neighbourhood teams.

1. Forge One Shared Story (The Golden Ring of Clarity)

Integrated working falters when each organisation carries its own narrative about what INTs are, why they exist, and what “good” looks like.

What to do in the next 12 weeks

• Convene a 90-minute cross-system session to agree a single shared purpose for INTs.
• Translate that into a one-page visual: purpose, outcomes, and principles.
• Ask each leader to use it consistently in team meetings, visits, and comms.
• Prioritise time and space for multi-professional relationship building on the ground and through the system.

Why it matters: Teams repeatedly report that misaligned expectations are one of the biggest barriers. A unified story builds confidence and reduces friction.

2. Remove the Top Three Known Barriers (The Golden Ring of Courageous Leadership)

Every system knows its sticking points. They are usually cultural, relational, or operational—and staff can list them without blinking.

What to do in the next 12 weeks

• Focus on enabling collaborative working on the ground and collect INT feedback (if not already gathered) to identify the top three barriers draining the most energy.
• Assign each barrier a senior leader sponsor with decision-making authority.
• Commit to a 12-week elimination sprint – rapid cycles, clear milestones, visible progress reports.

Why it matters: Removing blockers is a leadership act of service. It releases capacity, rebuilds trust, and shows that integration is not merely rhetoric.

3. Give the Teams Protected Time to Work Differently (The Golden Ring of Permission)

One of the loudest messages from neighbourhood teams is simple: “We never get time to actually build the team or redesign the work.”

What to do in the next 12 weeks

• Mandate and enable one protected 90-minute session every fortnight for each INT, focused on improvement—not firefighting.
• Provide light-touch facilitation support or improvement coaches to keep momentum.
• Shield this time; leaders must model that it is non-negotiable.
• Clarity of support and permission to make change happen and flexibility to act – activating our people.

Why it matters: Without time, collaboration becomes a hobby. With time, INTs can redesign pathways, strengthen relationships, and innovate safely.

4. Make Data Usable at the Frontline (The Golden Ring of Insight)

‘Data exists, but we can’t see it. ‘Everyone has a different dashboard.’ ‘We don’t know who our population actually is.’ ‘We are not allowed to share that data.’

These are common frustrations.

What to do in the next 12 weeks

• Co-create a minimum data set and shared intelligence for each INT (population, risk, demand, who isn’t thriving, opportunities for improvement).
• Ensure frontline teams can see it in a simple, user-friendly view.
• Use data sessions to explore meaning, not compliance – what is it telling us about our population, what should we change?
• Foster a culture of sharing data and shared evaluation

Why it matters: When teams understand their population and outcomes, they shift from organisational defensiveness to shared stewardship.

5. Celebrate and Spread What’s Working (The Golden Ring of Momentum)

Nothing accelerates change like seeing peers succeed.

What to do in the next 12 weeks

• Identify 3–5 neighbourhoods already making progress and those that aren’t.
• Capture their story, assets, and practical methods in short case examples.
• Host a system learning huddle every month to share what works and what doesn’t (not a showcase—an honest conversation).

Why it matters: Success breeds belief. When staff are given agency to act flexibly and see integrated working delivering value, scepticism softens and behaviours shift.

A Final Thought

Don’t Wait for the ‘Twelfth Day’ – act now.

We often act as though transformation requires long lead times, new structures, or perfect alignment. But neighbourhood teams tell us something different: Progress comes from small, visible, courageous actions taken consistently and by people who have agency

So, in the spirit of those five golden rings, system leaders have five clear opportunities over the next 12 weeks to remove barriers, strengthen teams, and accelerate integrated working.

As we approach 2026, consider taking advantage of free NAPC membership. This is a valuable opportunity to connect with thought leaders and decision makers, discover innovative work happening across the country, share your insights, and give your team a platform to showcase their achievements.