Care partnership for older people launches in Croydon

Health, social care and voluntary sector partners are launching a more personalised and joined-up approach to health and care services for the over-65s in Croydon.

The Outcomes-Based Commissioning programme (OBC) is a radically different approach to the funding and delivery of services designed to get the best value out of the health and care sectors in Croydon, whilst delivering the outcomes local people want.

The new way of working is as a result of an alliance agreement signed just before Easter by six organisations in the borough – Croydon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Croydon Council, Croydon GP Collaborative, Croydon Health Services NHS Trust, the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, and Age UK Croydon.

The partnership means a single joined-up service for people over 65 needing health and social care support, from help with leading a healthier lifestyle through to avoiding unnecessary hospital stays and supporting people in their own homes and community.

The main principle is to move towards funding people’s care based on the delivery of successful outcomes, helping them to live more independent and active lives for as long as possible.

The launch follows engagement with the local over-65 community during which they identified those things that mattered most to them, from staying independent to receiving tailored support.

“If we can provide more effective support in people’s own home, it has a positive knock-on effect for both the individual and the wider health and social care service.

“Joint working between council staff, NHS and Age UK Croydon colleagues will mean better care for Croydon’s over-65s, giving them greater independence to manage their health and wellbeing, and to avoid unnecessary hospital visits.”

Councillor Louisa Woodley, cabinet member for families, health and social care

Dr Tony Brzezicki, Clinical Chair at Croydon CCG, said: “We want to put the things that matter most to patients and their families at the heart of everything we do. We have already spoken to over 400 members of the public about what’s important to them and we know that keeping older people healthy, in their own homes, out of hospital where possible but with the right health and care support, are all top of the list of priorities.”

Kate Pierpoint, acting chief executive officer of Age UK Croydon, added: “Under the alliance programme we are piloting a project with a team of Personal Independence Co-ordinators. This team will work with people over 65 to ensure they receive the services they need to stay healthy and at home. They will, I’m sure, offer an invaluable service for some of the most vulnerable older people in our community.”

Paula Swann, Chief Officer of Croydon CCG, said: “Bringing all the partners together has taken time and patience, but I am confident that we are at the forefront of a new way of delivering health and care here in Croydon. We now have a clear commitment from all partners to work together to deliver better outcomes for patients and service users in Croydon – something about which we should all be proud.”

Release Ends

Notes to Editors

The new OBC programme includes regular meetings where each person’s health and social care specialists, from GPs to physiotherapists, confidentially share information and plan treatment and care closer to home. As well as improving care, this also reduces the need for people to repeat their medical and social care history to too many health and social care professionals.

Personal Independence Co-ordinators (PIC) will work people to identify wellbeing goals and ways to support healthy independence. This could include identifying other preventative services or activities or community groups to support them. They will then develop plans for intensive wraparound support for up to 12 weeks. The PICs focus their help on people aged over 65 who have at least two long-term conditions and have been admitted to hospital at least twice in the last year.

The alliance is expected to run for 10 years from April 2017, with the first year focusing on how its member organisations work together. Each individual alliance member remains responsible for its own decisions and budgets.

Engagement carried out with older Croydon people before the agreement was formed by alliance members showed that residents’ care priorities included:

• Staying healthy, active and independent for as long as possible
• Getting access to the best-quality care so people can live how they choose
• Having support from professionals with specialist knowledge to understand how health and social care affects individuals
• Getting more care and support tailored to individual needs
• Being supported to manage long-term conditions

For further information, contact:

OBC queries relating to the NHS:
Mel McKeown (mel.mckeown1@nhs.net or 07554 553014)

OBC queries relating to adult social care:
James Osborne (james.osborne@croydon.gov.uk or 0208 760 5644)

2017-04-21T10:04:09+01:00 April 21st, 2017|Recent news|