People living with complex health needs, co-morbidities and social care requirements often experience fragmented and sub-optimal care. One possible solution identified is integration of health and social care services.
KATE WOODHEAD RGN DMS explores the latest thinking.
A number of pilot studies have taken place, spread out across England, and new services are currently being planned – the chosen projects will be named during September 2013 and labelled ‘pioneers’. It is the Government’s wish that many more service providers will be integrated over the next few years and that the provision of ‘joined-up care’ will become the norm by 2018. A previous article (CSJ, August 2013) set out the current thinking and some of the background to the initiative; and it remains for us to review previous pilot studies and what lessons have been learned, as well as to explore the current strategic direction. The recent reforms should provide some of the infrastructure identified by early pilots as specific challenges but there remain significant issues that will require clear leadership and vision if integration of such different cultures between health and social care are to be reduced, enabling an improved experience for patients. Nationally, the NHS Commissioning Board, Monitor, all the new Clinical Commissioning Groups (CSGs), in addition to the nascent Health and Wellbeing Boards, are being encouraged and are also required to provide better coordinated care across previous boundaries.
Challenges
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