On Wednesday, 23 January 2019, we hosted a visit from Lord David Prior, chair of NHS England and were able to highlight a snapshot of the fantastic work taking place across the ICS at different levels and in various forms.
By showcasing examples of how working together to wrap support, care and services around people as individuals, we were able to bring to life what ‘integrated care’ means. The overriding theme was getting rid of organisational barriers and putting the needs of people and patients first with the end result positively changing, and in some cases saving, lives.
We started the day by highlighting the work of one of our ‘neighbourhoods’ and attended the Larwood Health Partnership, where GP partner, Dr Steve Kell talked through their Primary Care Home and how a number of services are now “under one roof” and that by working together differently, at a local community level, they have made a positive difference to patient care.
Continuing the journey, we visited the Changing Lives centre in Doncaster where the work of the Doncaster Complex Lives Alliance was presented. The Alliance, made up of local public sector and voluntary sector partners, works together to help some of the most disadvantaged people living in the town who are often dealing with a combination of multiple issues including homelessness, drug and alcohol addiction, offending behaviour, mental ill-health and poor physical health. The team were able to talk us through how, by working across traditional organisational boundaries, they are making a difference to the lives of those who may not know how to, or for many reasons don’t usually, access health and care support. See above a video where representatives from different organisations talk about the benefits of the Complex Lives Alliance.
Finally, we ended our South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw “tour” by visiting our specialist cancer hospital, Weston Park, as part of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to talk not only about their specialist service but how it works at a system-level, providing a service not only to Sheffield residents but to those from across the region requiring specialist treatment and care.
Lord Prior was very positive about the initiatives and it was another opportunity for us to highlight ourselves on a national level, showing just how we are developing as a first wave integrated care system. Thanks go to everyone who helped to shape the day – we will be producing case study information on all examples highlighted.