Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, working with Torbay Council and partners, have been selected as a shortlisted finalist in the Health and Social Care category in the 2018 national Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards.
The LGC awards are the biggest and most prestigious awards ceremony for the local government sector.
The awards seek to identify and recognise local government’s greatest innovators, whose achievements are often under reported. They also aim to shine a spotlight on the achievements of those councils and their partners whose pioneering best practice can inspire other to improve services.
In October 2015, the coming together of acute and community health and adult social care services in Torbay resulted in the creation of an Integrated Care Organisation (ICO). The new organisation has developed an ambitious new model of care founded on the principles of integration and personalisation.
The new model of care has been developed taking into account feedback from local people about how they want to experience health and social care services. Setting the foundations for a sustainable care system has been critical at a time when the local authority and NHS respond to the challenges of an older demographic that is much higher than the national average.
A key aim is for people, with the right support, to be able to live as independently as possible in their own homes and communities. To do this millions of pounds have been invested into community services so that more people can receive care at home rather than having to be admitted into hospital or return home sooner if they medically needed a hospital stay. This is helping the Trust to save a significant amount of money from reducing hospital beds and delivering safer and timely services which helps to sustain the provision of high quality care in to the future.
The care model has six key principles:
· Improve people’s experience of health and care, and provide care which feels co-ordinated and person-centred;
· Give people more say in decisions about their care, and support them to manage their own health and wellbeing;
· Reduce inequalities in health and care, so that people have the same access to safe, high quality care, no matter where they may live;
· Develop and support a flexible workforce, which has the right skills to provide the care people need, when and where they need it;
· Maintain a sustainable care system, so that we can continue to provide the services our local communities need; now and in the future.
· Develop services which meet the needs of an older-than-average population cohort with complex needs, but which also focus on ill-health prevention for future generations.
Mairead McAlinden, Chief Executive at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Being shortlisted in the LGC Awards is a proud moment for our partnership. To have our hard work recognised by the LGC Awards highlights how innovative thinking and working together across health and social care can enhance and improve the care we provide to our local population, connecting people to the support that helps them live healthy and fulfilling lives.”
Torbay Council’s Executive Lead for Adults and Children, Councillor Julien Parrott, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and I am really pleased that the high quality work being carried out in Torbay, to better meet the needs of people who require care and support, is being recognised. It is a real example of how local organisations can work effectively together on behalf of local residents to improve services. Well done to everyone involved in this model of care for being shortlisted for this prestigious award.”
Winners will be announced on 21 March 2018 at Grosvenor House on London’s Park Lane.
The full list of finalists can be found at www.awards.lgcplus.com
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