WIREDGOV

The Health & Social Care (Safety & Quality) Act 2015 that aims to improve safety & quality of care has received Royal Assent.  Among the measures introduced by the act is a duty on health & adult social care providers to share information about a person’s care with other health & care professionals. This means that doctors and other professionals providing a person’s care and treatment will have the information they need so they can treat patients more effectively.

Relevant health & adult social care bodies will also be required to use a consistent identifier - the NHS Number - when processing and/or sharing information about an individual for their direct care. This will enable better connection of health & care records as people move between services, so relevant information is shared, meaning safer and better aligned care.

DH:  Safer care for patients

But are the NHS & LAs flexible enough to make the necessary changes to service delivery?

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Improving flow of patients

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Commitment to enhancing NHS performance

Planning & delivering for patients

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Continuity of care failing frail older people in hospitals

Greater integration of health care has led to improved care processes, more satisfied staff & reduced use of hospitals

Hunt:  NHS must fundamentally change to solve A&E problems

ScotGov:  Health & social care integration takes step forward