Person-centred integrated care

The NHS Confederation – the independent voice of NHS system leadership – has commissioned SCIE to capture the learning to date from Integrated Care Systems and Sustainability Partnerships (STPs).

The project will explore key topics, including payment mechanisms, financial arrangements and place-based integration, to help ICS and STP leaders respond to the challenges and succeed in their role.

I am delighted that SCIE, with its expertise in person centred integration, will be supporting the NHS Confederation.

Rt Hon Paul Burstow, Chair of SCIE

Read more: SCIE press release

SCIE and PPL were commissioned to identify opportunities for health devolution and integration in Croydon and to recommend leadership and governance mechanisms to support the new model of care.

SCIE has conducted research into what supports good systems leadership in integrated care systems (ICSs). The research involved interviews with 20 systems leaders in ICSs and a review of the latest literature. This research will inform the Leadership Academy’s long-term plans for supporting leaders in integrated care systems.

SCIE completed a baselining exercise and best practice review for the Greater Manchester Health and Social Care Partnership. SCIE went on to develop detailed plans to support the delivery of an adult social care reform programme with the aim of improving outcomes.

SCIE was asked by Hampshire County Council to support the development of a set of metrics for a new Integrated Intermediate Care Service (IIC). The service is expected to begin from April 2020, following the merger of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and the council’s IIC services. Local citizens can soon expect to receive integrated packages of community care for rehabilitation, reablement and recovery.

Prompted by the SCIE logic model for integrated care, the local authority and its NHS partners are keen to determine how they can measure their progress and monitor outcomes. SCIE’s senior associate facilitated a whole system workshop, where the senior commissioning and provider staff discussed the outcomes and expectations for the IIC, including better experiences for people using the service. They learned about the types of outcomes metrics available through routinely collected data, as well as operational measures that could be used to track interim progress. The workshop produced a bespoke logic model for the IIC service and a handful of draft metrics. This logic model built on the agreed IIC pathways and service components, and it clarified areas of agreement and disagreement.

The next step is for local partners to ensure consistency with the business plan and to confirm the metrics they intend to use. There was a recognition that the final set of metrics may not be fixed; as the new service evolves and matures, different metrics could be prioritised.

SCIE and PPL were commissioned to develop strategic recommendations for integrating health and social care in practical and sustainable ways and for establishing system leadership and governance.

The Department of Health commissioned a consortium including SCIE to evaluate the Integrated Personal Commissioning (IPC) programme – an approach to integrate health and social care services. SCIE gathered evidence from local authorities to identify lessons about the effectiveness of IPC schemes.

SCIE has worked with Carnell Farrah, who are leading a health and care systems improvement programme, to support the establishment of a new Integrated Complex Discharge Team to help patients with complex care needs transfer into home or community settings. The work has involved reviewing best practice and facilitation of a multidisciplinary workshop with staff who will lead the new team.