NHS Tower Hamlets is helping create personalised, seamless care services for local people. Its experience will be shared with an increasing number of sites across the country, as part of a new nationwide community to share best practice and shape government policy.
The programme in Tower Hamlets is one of 16 leading national pilots, bringing together health and social care organisations to create innovative services for local people. The pilot scheme is today expanding to become a nationwide network that will prompt debate, discussion and challenge policy makers.
The Tower Hamlets integrated care pilot is an ambitious programme of work to change the way primary care is delivered in the borough through the formation of eight networks strengthening local links between health and social care providers.
Additional money and resources are being invested to develop well-defined care packages for priority health issues in the borough. Care packages are based on high quality standards of clinical practice setting out the care that patients expect for their condition. This care will be delivered through the network model ensuring that resources are shared to deliver high quality specialist services and to address other important public health challenges for our population. We are also looking at ways we can improve the quality of health and social care community services for adults by developing a more integrated model of care.
Associate director of primary care John Wardell said: “This exciting programme aims to improve local people’s health by giving them the opportunity to manage their own health and providing them with care tailored to their needs with a single point of access to a variety of services.”
NHS Tower Hamlets GP and clinical lead Sam Everington said: “This programme will mean that more joined up services are available for patients in their local area and help with many other things that affect their health such as exercise and employment. The local health service and local authority are working together to ensure all aspects of patients health are improved, which is great news for patients.”
When the pilot scheme ends in March 2011, the national programme will capture the knowledge and learning generated by all participating sites, to shape understanding and practice in delivery of health and care in the future. NHS Tower Hamlets will continue to help sustain integrated services for the local community long after the pilot scheme is over.
Notes to editors
About integrated care pilots
The programme of integrated care pilots (ICP) is a two-year Department of Health initiative. 16 integrated care pilot sites launched in April 2009 around the country. Its purpose is to explore different ways of providing health and social care services to help drive improvements in local health and wellbeing.
For more information on the ICP programme, and to access the new self-assessment tool, visit the Department of Health website on www.dh.gov.uk/integratedcare. The tool will be available to download from 2 February until the ICP programme ends in March 2011.
Each of the 16 current sites have developed new methods to help respond to particular local health needs. The health issues being tackled in each pilot include dementia, care for the elderly, substance misuse, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and end of life care. The methods involved vary widely; they include partnerships, new systems and care pathways that span primary, community, secondary and social care.
The current 16 pilots, announced on 1 April 2009, are:
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Bournemouth and Poole Teaching PCT,
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Cambridgeshire ICO,
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Church View Medical Practice, Sunderland,
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NHS Cumbria,
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Durham Dales Integrated Care Organisation,
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Northamptonshire Integrated Care Partnership,
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North Tyneside PCT,
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Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT,
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NHS Norfolk and Norfolk County Council,
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Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust,
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North Cornwall Practice-Based Commissioning Group,
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Principia - Partners in Health, Nottinghamshire,
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NHS Tameside and Glossop,
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Torbay Care Trust,
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NHS Tower Hamlets, and
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Wakefield Integrated Substance Misuse Service.
The existing 16 pilots were selected after a rigorous assessment process, following over 700 expressions of interest and 100 applications. Although the pilots have designed new models for delivering care, they have key features of the current health system, such as choice, competition, and the role of the PCT as the commissioner of local health services.
The ICP programme will be evaluated over three years against a set of national and local measures, including impact on health outcomes, improved quality of care, service user satisfaction, and effective relationships and systems.
For more details please contact the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5221.
For details about NHS Tower Hamlets please contact Tim Carter 020 7092 5250
About plans for a National Care Service
The Green Paper Shaping the Future of Care Together can be found at www.careandsupport.direct.gov.uk
There are currently around four people of working age for every person retired. By 2050, this will halve to two people. So there will be half the amount of people paying taxes to support the increasing numbers in retirement.
The Green Paper, Shaping the Future of Care Together, published on 14 July, set out a vision for a National Care Service. A service which is fair, simple and affordable for all adults. Everyone in England will be guaranteed:
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prevention services – the right support to stay independent and well for as long as possible and to delay care needs getting worse,
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national assessment – care needs will be assessed and paid for in the same way across the country,
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joined-up services – all the services will work together smoothly. information and advice – the care system will be easy to understand and navigate,
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personalised care and support – services will be based on personal circumstances and need, and
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fair funding – money will be spent wisely and everyone will get some help meeting the high cost of care needs.
For more details about the National Care Service please contact the Department of Health press office on 020 7210 5221.
