AltogetherBetter:SupportingtheNewModelofCare
inCroydon
“Wehaveincreasedourpatientlistby4,500people,that’sa57%increase,andwehaveseennoincreasein
demandforeitherprimaryorsecondarycareconsultationsbecausewedothingsdifferently.”
MevForbes,ManagingPartner,RobinLaneMedicalCentre
Thecaseforchange
Thecaseforchangeiscompelling.TheNHSisunsustainableinitscurrentformasitstrugglesto
adapttothegrowingburdenoflongtermconditions,lifestylerelatedhealthissuesandthe
demandgeneratedbysocialfactorssuchassocialisolation.Noneofthesecanbe‘cured’bya
clinicalconsultation.Thewayforwardissystemtransformation,widelyprescribedbutoften
poorlyunderstoodandimplemented.
TheNHSFiveYearForwardViewasksusworktogethertodelivernewsustainablemodelsof
care“wherefullyengagedpatients,carersandcitizensplayagreaterroleintheirhealthand
healthcare.”Thesenewmodelsofcarewillharnesstheassetsandenergiesofclinicians,
patients,citizens,andcommunitypartners.Alongwithmanyothers,AltogetherBettercare
passionatelyaboutthesustainabilityandsurvivaloftheNHS.Workingcloselywithcitizensand
over60GPpracticeshasgivenusadeepunderstandingandextensiveexpertiseinhowto
supportthesechangestohappen.
AboutAltogetherBetter
“It’sarotatingdoor–
peoplejustkeepcoming
back.
Iestimatethat40-55%
ofpatientsIseeevery
weekcouldbebetter
supportedbysomeone
else–theydon’tneedto
seesomeonewith5
degrees.
Patientsneedpeople
notpills
DrNiallMacleod
AltogetherBetterisanationalNHSorganisation.Weareadiverseteamofexperienced
GP,Exeter
managers,clinicians,communityengagementspecialists,andorganizationaldevelopmentand
changeconsultants.Betweenuswehavemanyyears’experienceofbringingclinicians,patientsandcitizenstogetherto
delivermodelsofcarebasedonthefundamentalprinciplesofcoproduction.Thechangeswhichresulthavehighimpact,are
costeffective,transformationalandinherentlysustainable.(TovisitourwebsitegotoAltogether
Better)
Evidencedbasedapproach
AltogetherBetterhasdevelopedarobustlyevaluatedevidencedbasedapproachwhichbrings
citizensandGPPracticestogetherwhichdelivers:
€
Avastrangeofnewoffersthatpromotewellbeingandresilience,preventillhealthand
treatpeoplewhostruggletolivewellwithLTCs,isolationandloneliness
€
Reductioninconsultationinprimaryandsecondarycareandashiftinthewaypatients
useservices–movingtowardssocialratherthanmedicalsolutions
€
FailuredemandoneofthebiggestcostsintheNHSisreduced
€
AfinanciallysustainablebusinessmodelforGeneralPracticeemerge
€
Patients,carersandcitizensbecomeavaluedpartofan‘extendedhealthandcareteam’
€
Reductioninworkloadpressure
€
Staffmoraleimproves
“Ayounggirlcamein
toseemydiabetic
leadandsaid‘the
diabetesgrouphas
changedmylife
totallybecauseI
wasn’tmanagingit
properly,Imetall
thesepeoplewho
havebeendoingit
foryearsandit’s
alreadychangedmy
life’”
PracticeManager,
Calderdale
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www.altogetherbetter.org.ukandabidebythetermsofthelicencehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0
AcasestoryfromRobinLaneMedicalCentre,
Leeds:
CreatingasustainablefutureforGeneralPractice
“Wehadagrowingrealisationthatgeneralpracticewasunsustainableinitscurrentformat.
Weknewthatfundingwasgoingtobeanissue.Wecan’tjustgoonemployingmoreand
moredoctorstomeetmoreandmoredemands,wehadtothinkquiteradicallyabouthowto
changedemandinthefirstplace”MevForbes,ManagingPartner
RobinLanenowworkswithmorethan50enthusiasticcitizenswhodeliver19differentkindsofgroups
andactivities.Aswellastheplethoraofchampion-ledsocialgroups,thepracticenowrunsaUkulele
group,provides7dayaweekbreastfeedingsupportdeliveredbyChampions,keepsaconstantly
updateddynamicdirectoryoflocalservicesandresourcesandsignpostsandroutespeopletoactivities
inthecommunity.
Championsalsosupportservicedeliveryinmanydifferentwaysincludingforexampleincreasingthe
numbersofpeopleattendingSaturdayfluclinicfrom300toover800people.“TheChampionshave
enabledalotofthingstohappenwhichwouldn’thavebeenabletohappenotherwise”(LindaBelderson,
GP).“Butthegreatstoryisthatliveshavebeentransformed,peoplearenolongerisolated;theyhave
madenewfriendshipsanduseservicesdifferently”(MevForbes,ManagingPartner).
Evidenceofimprovedefficiencyandincreasedproductivity
•
Thepracticehasincreasedtheirpatientlistby57%from8,500to13,000patientswithoutany
increaseinPrimaryofSecondaryReferralsanda10%reductioninuseofA&E.
•
Thereisevidenceofincreasedefficiencybydealingwithfailuredemand
•
Over50volunteerPracticeHealthChampionsworkalongsidethepracticeteam
•
Thepracticehavereconfiguredtheirstaffteamandredesignedtheiroffertorespondtothenew
challenges,choosingnottoappointtoavacantsalariedGPpostbutinsteadchoosingtoinvestina
CommunityMatronandaWellbeingCoordinator.
•
ThePracticehasevolvedtodothingsdifferently–theiridentityhaschanged-theynolonger
describethemselvesasamedicalserviceandarerebrandingastheRobinLaneHealthand
WellbeingCentre
TogettoAltogetherBetter’sevaluationreport‘WorkingTogethertoCreateHealthierPeopleandCommunities:
Bringingcitizensandservicestogetherinnewconversations’.,clickhereortogotoourhomepagefollowthe
linktoAltogetherBetter.
FormoreinformationorExpressionsofinterestcontact
AlysonMcGregor•Director•AltogetherBetter•[email protected]•www.altogetherbetter.org.uk
Tel.01924327174Mobile07780593409
Thiscreativecommonslicencepermitsyoutocopy,adapt,distributeandtransmitthiswork,providedthatyouattributeittoAltogetherBetter
www.altogetherbetter.org.ukandabidebythetermsofthelicencehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0