Primary Care Home October 2017

The Primary Care Home programme has gathered huge momentum since its inception in autumn 2015. From 15 original rapid test sites– they now have more than 190 sites across England, covering eight million patients– 14 per cent of the population.

Applications continue to come in – all are very welcome to join what has all the hallmarks of a social movement across integrated care. Its success, they believe, is because it is bringing about the change that clinicians know is right for their patients – something they've always wanted to do. Staff now feel empowered and excited, with the freedom to innovate and drive improvements. It is also about the human scale of the change where people feel they belong, own local challenges and can make a real difference working alongside their patients. Many have started with small changes that have led to early benefits and created a compelling case for ...

The King's Fund integrated care summit 2018

As the national rhetoric focuses on supporting the delivery of population health and integrated care, different models of care and new ways of working are being implemented across England. While integrated care systems (ICSs) are emerging to lead on planning and commissioning care for their populations, providers are also working together to deliver integrated care locally. 

A year of integrated care systems: Reviewing the journey so far

Where once the primary purpose of the health and care system was to provide
episodic treatment for acute illness, it now needs to deliver joined-up and proactive support for growing numbers of older people and people living with long-term conditions and complex needs.
In March 2017, NHS England set out an ambition to ‘use the next several years to make the biggest national move to integrated care of any major western country’. This aim is now being pursued through the development of sustainability and transformation partnerships (STPs) – local ‘place?based’ partnerships of NHS and local authority organisations. The most advanced local partnerships have been asked to develop ‘integrated care systems’ (ICSs). These systems will take more control of funding and services across local areas.
The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how ICSs are being
developed in different parts of the country and to identify lessons for local ...

Civil society participation in global public private partnerships for health

The growth of global public-private partnerships for health has opened up new spaces for civil society participation in global health governance. Such participation is often justified by the claim that civil society organizations, because of their independence and links to communities, can help address democratic deficits in global-level decision-making processes. This article examines the notion of ‘civil society engagement’ within major public–private partnerships for health, where civil society is often said to play a particularly important role in mediating between public and private spheres.

The role of patient value and patient-centred care in health systems

Patient-centred care, with its emphasis on patient value, is a widespread health system goal. To examine the progress of the evolution towards more patient-centred health care and draw lesson for the future, the Economist Intelligence Unit conducted a survey and interviews on patient representatives, a cohort in which IAPO was present. However, the findings show that despite some progress, especially in Europe and the US, in practice such care often remains more aspiration than reality.

APIC2 – 2nd Asia Pacific Conference on Integrated Care

The 2nd Asia Pacific Conference on Integrated Care will take place in Melbourne, Australia, from 11-13 November 2019. With the overarching theme ‘Achieving better value for people and populations’ the conference is a partnership of The University of Newcastle, Centre for Rural & Remote Mental Health, Children’s Health Queensland,Central Coast Local Health District, The Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association and Health Justice Australia. The conference will bring together researchers, clinicians and managers from around the world who are engaged in the design and delivery of integrated health and social care. Call for papers announced shortly.

Key role of governance and accountability to achieve integrated people-centred health services

Models of integrated care continue to evolve globally with the goal to deliver more integrated people-centred health services. These models are characterized by innovative collaborations and partnerships across sectors. One enduring question relates to the best governance structures for these complex, multi-player systems and networks. Governance encompasses all aspects of managing health services delivery to support health system goals, including financing, human resources, and technology, and it is a critical instrument to strengthen public and institutional performance.

The current pandemic is a good reminder that circumstances and environments strongly influence health and well-being. It emphasizes the need to focus on whole-systems health, which cuts across political, economic, and social landscapes. Whole-system health requires governance that is agile and can respond quickly to emerging changes to manage the complex interdependent partnerships in integrated health systems. It further points to the need for diffusion of governance from a state/health services centred ...

Celebrating the 4th anniversary of the approval of the WHO Framework on integrated and people-centred health services: progress and opportunities ahead

This month marks the fourth anniversary of the approval of the Framework on integrated people-centred health services (IPCHS) and its accompanying resolution WHA69.24 (2016) on “Strengthening integrated people-centred health services” by the World Health Assembly. In May 2016, Member States showed exceptional support to these global commitments and requested WHO to help them implement, adapt, and operationalize this Framework. However, this was not the first time WHO recognized the relevance of health services being managed and delivered so that people, who are active participants of health systems, receive a continuum of care according to their needs throughout the life course. Other previous WHO global and regional commitments, including “People-centred health care: a policy framework” produced by the Western Pacific Region in 2007, the “World health report 2008 on primary health care: now more than ever”, and resolution WHA62.12 (2009) on Primary health care, including health system strengthening, had ...

More that unites us than divides us? A qualitative study of integration of community health and social care services

The integration of community health and social care services has been widely promoted in the UK as a vital step to improve patient-centred care, reduce costs, reduce admissions to hospital and facilitate timely and effective discharge from hospital. The complexities of integration raise questions about the practical challenges of integrating health and care given embedded professional and organisational boundaries in both sectors.

This study describes how an English city created a single, integrated care partnership, to integrate community health and social care services. This led to the development of 12 integrated neighbourhood teams, combining and co-locating professionals across three separate localities.

The aim of this research was to identify the context and the factors enabling and hindering integration from a qualitative process evaluation.

Integrated care in every community

Our health and care needs are changing, with more people living longer often with multiple long term conditions. This animation explains the challenges facing the health and care system and how partnerships are being formed between the NHS, local government and the third sector to integrate care and better meet our health and care needs now and in the future. A BSL (British Sign Language) version of this video can be found here: https://youtu.be/b51AdiQf1w4