Integrated Care Systems (ICS) were introduced to connect the newly formed Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and local authorities, enabling a more seamless healthcare service which could then give better visibility of the needs of patients and allow NHS organisations to more effectively meet these needs and provide the right high-quality care - with the ultimate goal of helping more people and to a greater degree of success.
In the words of NHS England: “Integrated care is about giving people the support they need, joined up across local councils, the NHS, and other partners. It removes traditional divisions between hospitals and family doctors, between physical and mental health, and between NHS and council services.”
ICSs began in July 2023 but were first proposed in February 2022, when the UK Government published its ‘Joining up care for people, places and populations’ whitepaper, which laid out new plans for the integration of health and social care in England and how ICSs can bring this together in line with the NHS Long Term Plan.
Local authorities and NHS England are working closely together but there is still a long way to go due to further government reform, funding changes and internal goals and targets. This is affecting the speed and timing for when these changes can be implemented and we are still feeling the disruption post-pandemic.
In this article we will explore the annual priorities of an Integrated Care System and how these goals are set and ranked. We will also discuss the hangover effect of Covid-19 and the strain on the NHS, the challenges of ongoing digital transformation, and the role providers such as The Access Group can have in aiding an ICB in delivering quality care to their local area.
Digital solutions are becoming the backbone for businesses across the world and healthcare is no different. Technological innovation has digitally transformed healthcare commissioning, providing a range of cost-effective solutions accessible using cloud technology.
Not only has cloud-based commissioning disrupted the market, but also enabled NHS procurement teams to streamline processes, connect providers and patients, react quickly, and support the provision of consistent, high-quality care.
Discover why healthcare is turning to cloud services and what the full advantages of using cloud commissioning technology, like the Access adam healthcare solution, can do to transform procurement services.
Hospital discharge delays are becoming a major issue for patients, their families, hospitals, and local authorities. The UK Government has announced a £250 million discharge fund to combat the ever-growing impact of delayed hospital discharges.
If you are responsible for social care in your local authority, or work within healthcare this discharge fund is probably on your mind. You may be struggling to decide how best to utilise the fund so your local community can fully benefit from it, or you might be wanting to see what other local authorities are currently doing to reduce hospital discharge delays for inspiration.
At The Access Group we are aware of the challenges local authorities face to keep up with the demand and capacity to accommodate all discharge plans as they come through. We know ideally the best place for patients to continue recovering is in their own homes, however due to staffing capacities this is not always the case.
We provide a plethora of digital tools and solutions to local authorities, hospitals, health and social care providers, to help them work more efficiently, plan for and manage demand, and to integrate and improve services.
This article will review the causes of hospital discharge delays and how that impacts the patient, the community, hospitals, and your local area. We also explain in depth the terms of the Government’s discharge fund and what that means for local authorities, the reactions to this discharge fund, and what are the best ways to utilise the funding to reduce these delays to improve patient outcomes further.
Community alarm systems have been available since the early 1970s and the fundamentals have changed little. However, in the last few years, spurred on in part by the pandemic, use and interest in both digital telecare and digital telehealth have grown massively.
If you are a local authority you are probably regularly searching for different ways to help your adults and older residents be able to live independently and safely at home for as long as possible . Increasingly, Local Authorities are looking for solutions that go beyond just reactive alarms for emergencies and are looking for more proactive , preventative solutions with an alarm service acting as a safety net.
You might be a loved one or a relative of someone that needs extra support and could be overwhelmed with all the information that is out there on personal alarms for older people, and want to find out all the information you need in one place.
Or you might just want to see the differences between different types of alarms to identify which one best suits your needs.
If that is you then by the end of this article all your questions surrounding community alarm systems will be answered.
At The Access Group we make it a priority to put people first with everything we do. We want to give people the freedom to do more and promote the importance of person-centred support and care. We aware of the challenges facing local authorities with the current shortages in capacity, hospital discharge delays and the importance of delivering their responsibilities under the Care Act.
So, we want to ease this stress and help you find the best community alarm for you and your community.
Telehealth has lots of benefits and challenges. One of the biggest challenges is providing telehealth to older adults.
Like the rest of the UK, you are more than likely to be aware that the use of telehealth and telemedicine has risen dramatically since the pandemic. Even if you are unsure what telehealth means, you have more than likely been exposed to it thanks to the rise in virtual health visits.
In 2020 80% physicians and 22% of consumers were using virtual visits and these numbers continue to rise. However, with the number of virtual visits increasing telehealth services have experienced a number of barriers and challenges.
The cost of telehealth services, plus the cost and staff involved in using telehealth technologies can vary from place to place. As a whole the use of telehealth services across the whole of the UK rose dramatically during the pandemic. Even though the rate of health and social care providers and local authorities using telehealth services have stabilized since then there have been many benefits for both end-users and the system itself.
But just how much do telehealth services cost and is telehealth cost effective?
If you are a health or social care provider, or a loved one you may be wondering whether the return on investment for telehealth services is worth it and whether you will still receive the same quality of care virtually.
Increasing independence in health and social care is not just a goal it is a way to improve an individual’s quality of life. With over 3.2 million people being aged 80 or over in the UK and many of them living with more than one chronic condition, being able to facilitate independence so they can live independently for longer has never been more so important. It helps to both reduce the burden on the NHS and families to delay future care needs.
Our ageing population shows that more people are living longer lives with potential additional needs which come from old age. Both the government and The Care Act 2014 are aiming to ensure people can live independently in their homes for longer to help delay future care needs and prevent individuals feeling they have lost their independence.
But you may be wondering what exactly does independence in health and social care mean, why is it important, and how best can care providers and local authorities facilitate it?
At The Access Group we work with providers of care, the NHS and local authorities. Though this we’re well acquainted with the challenges facing the social care market and how important it is for individuals to be more proactive and independent in managing their health to reduce their dependency on clinical support, care homes, and carers. Our Assure offering allows individuals to live a home longer safely whilst reassuring loved ones support is there when they need it.
This article will review what it means to promote independence in health and social care as well as how to maintain independence so individuals can live at home longer to delay future care needs and reduce the dependency on care homes, by delivering more proactive care. After reading you will have a greater understanding of what independence means and what you can do to promote and support it.
Commissioning cycles for social care can vary across different local authorities. The social care needs of a local authority can change continuously so it is vital procedures are in place to accommodate that so every individual gets the care they need when they need it.
But, what are the best ways to do this?
With the NHS pushing local authorities to use both population health management and strength-based approach, it can get complicated when figuring out how best to commission care in your local area to accommodate to your local community’s needs whilst following specific approaches, and aiming to reach national targets.
Whether you are a care provider or a care commissioner it is vital to understand the commissioning cycle definition and how to adapt it to meet the care needs of your local area. With budgets so limited it is crucial to have methods in place that re-evaluate the care delivered to ensure the best care quality at the best price is always delivered.
At The Access Group we have encountered many local authorities using cyclical models to define requirements, select providers, and evaluate their services.
This article will review what the commissioning cycle is in social care, why it is important, as well as breaking down the commissioning cycle stages and what the benefits are from using technology in every step of the commissioning cycle to enable better commissioning, better outcomes, and better quality of life for the residents in your local community.
The UK domiciliary care market is continuing to grow year on year. In 2020 it was recorded that over 810,000 people were receiving homecare across the UK and it is clear that number is continuing to rise rapidly.
In fact, The Department of Health and Social Care have predicted that 57% more adults aged 65 and over in England will require homecare in 2038 compared to 2018.
As the demand keeps increasing so does the pressure on care providers to arrange and deliver the care and support individuals require to delay future care needs, help reduce discharge delays, and allow individuals to remain as independent in their own homes for as long as possible.
In order to reach this demand successfully, local authorities need to overcome the home care challenges which care providers, caregivers, care workers, and the individuals themselves have to deal with.
But what are the challenges that are facing the domiciliary care market and how can they be avoided or overcome?
This article will review what domiciliary care is, the challenges facing the market and how best to overcome them with technology, so local authorities can be better prepared for the demand now and in the future to ensure the best quality and continuity of care is always delivered.
The Care Act’s local authority responsibilities have changed since the Health and Care bill passed in 2022. Local authorities will soon be under the supervision and scrutiny of the CQC, including the use of CQC inspection of local authorities. With that, many of the responsibilities which local authorities have under the Care Act have been discussed consistently including both market shaping and market oversight.
You may be wondering what these responsibilities mean for your local community and how by ensuring you are delivering these duties, you can you have a better provision of care.
At the Access Group we are aware of the challenges local authorities are facing currently which can impede you delivering the duties under the Care Act. We understand the issues with discharge delays, contract management, and managing longer term care plans to name a few.
