Bringing care closer to home: Vision for Shropshire healthcare revealed
A hospital at home service, a health crisis response team and ‘step-up’ beds are included in a vision for future healthcare in Shropshire.
A shake-up of services is expected as Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group develops its ‘care closer to home’ model, which it says will address an ‘unhealthy dependence’ on hospitals.
It aims to improve health outcomes for people aged 65 and over with multiple long-term health conditions.
A new CCG report, which gives an overview of the intended care model, says there is ‘no additional money to pay for this way of working’.
Therefore, some existing services that it views as not ‘fit for purpose’ could be axed to create new ones it says will better meet the needs of patients.
However Dr Julian Povey, chairman of Shropshire CCG, said the model will also help to reduce hospital admissions, saving money to pay for the community-based services.
The first phase of the plan has already been put in place with a frailty intervention team based at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital’s A&E department.
There are further plans for a 'hospital at home' service - providing diagnostic testing and treatment interventions traditionally associated with care in a hospital setting - either in people's own homes or from places close by.
The report also outlines plans for a health crisis response team, which could deliver diagnostic testing and treatment within a two-hour response window.
‘Step-up’ beds would mean patients had bed-based care local to where they live, possibly in community hospitals or nursing homes.
The care model also intends to bring local authority staff such as social workers and those employed by the NHS closer together.
Exact details are yet to be worked out.
Dr Povey said: "We are fully committed to developing these models.
"We have already seen a huge impact from our frailty at the front door service.
"Phase three may require public consultation."
The CCG report added: “We at Shropshire CCG absolutely believe that there is a need for general hospital services as some of the diagnostic testing and treatments delivered cannot safely be undertaken in another environment.
"However, in Shropshire just like many other parts of the UK, we have developed an unhealthy dependence upon our general hospital.
"We at the CCG have engaged with our stakeholders and have reached the conclusion that we have a duty to address this over-dependence, and bring Shropshire care closer to home."
