Continuity and coordination of care at the heart of integrated people-centred health services (IPCHS)

There are many descriptions of integrated care. I particularly relate to one framed by National Voices: ‘’My care is planned with people who work together to understand me and my carer(s), put me in control, coordinate and deliver services to achieve my best outcomes.”  It speaks of a collaborative approach to achieve what really matters to the individual and their carer(s) and places coordination of care and support at the heart of integrated care.  For without effective coordination, even the most holistic care plan still leads to fragmented care, duplication, waste and harm.  

Continuity and coordination are vital, now more than ever. With increasing specialisation in healthcare, people meet many providers and frequently move between various teams at different points in the system as they experience multiple episodes of health and social care. At best, this may be well intentioned pursuit of the best quality care from the ...