HRCH was highly commended in this month’s HSJ Value Awards, with Hounslow Working Together, in the System or commissioner-led service redesign initiative category.
Congratulations to HRCH’s Ben Homer, who wrote the submission – based on Hounslow Integrated Care Partnership’s work on meeting growing health and care inequalities.
The collaboration is in year four of an envisaged five-year journey and the benefits to all, particularly through the recent pandemic, are remarkable. Apart from better care for patients closer to home, the collaboration has freed up GP time by about 165 hours a week and reduced variation in care and services.
We also:
- improved collaboration throughout the coronavirus pandemic
- reduced acute attendances and impact of high intensity users, as well as improving care for frail patients and those discharged from hospital
- given patients care closer to home: 30% managed via community MSK/physiotherapy and 65% discharged with self-management
- provided person-centred/holistic care via social prescribing, delivered by a community interest company and charity organisations integral to primary care networks
- had more patients fully completing annual reviews
- improved screenings/immunisations by 24%, previously unmet targets now exceeded or closely met
- improved prescribing outcomes
- improved patient’s skills/confidence in managing their own long-term conditions
- improved efficiencies
Clinical staff can now monitor patients’ progress, acute hospitals have given great feedback and patients have told GPs they are very happy with the service they receive.
On top of this, there is a 2-year total savings and additional GP income of at least £1.7 million.