Patients are
already benefitting from GPs starting to take a lead in designing
local health services and a renewed focus on health outcomes.
Examples from around the country highlight that during the first
year of emerging clinical commissioning groups redesigning
services, patients are starting to experience improvements in
quality of care.
These include clinical commissioning groups such as in Newcastle
where the number of patients admitted to hospital with emergency
respiratory problems has decreased by 70 per cent. And in
Bedfordshire a team has been set up to deal with emergency calls
from care homes, helping reduce hospital visits by 40 per cent. A
group in Wigan has redesigned stroke services, cutting the average
hospital stay for patients from 56 days to 12 days.
After a decade of rising emergency hospital admissions, 2011 saw
the first year on year decline. This has been achieved at the same
time as a growing number of GPs have started to play a more
central role in choosing the most appropriate care for their
patients. It also coincides with a renewed focus on improving
outcomes rather than targets, giving the NHS greater freedom to
focus on delivering the very best care for patients.
The figures show a 0.5% decline in emergency hospital admissions,
compared to 4.6% and 3.3% increases in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
Between 2001 and 2010 there was a 36% increase in emergency
admissions, which has put sustained pressure on doctors and
nurses.
The Prime Minister will today host a roundtable discussion
with Royal College leaders, Clinical Commissioning Group chairs
and other stakeholders. In addition, Health Secretary Andrew
Lansley has written to all clinical commissioning groups outlining
the key role they will play in the future health service.
Andrew Lansley said:
“We have always been clear that patients will benefit from
putting power in the hands of frontline doctors and nurses. By
starting to do just that, we are seeing a positive change in the
way our NHS is responding to rising pressures. Patients are being
treated in more convenient places, pressure on hospitals is
reducing, and we are safeguarding the NHS for future generations.”
Paul Bowen, a GP and clinical commissioning group lead in
Cheshire, said:
"Instead of someone else making decisions about what
patients need, my clinical staff and I will work with patients,
giving them a wider choice of where, when and how they receive
their healthcare.
“Putting doctors and nurses in the driving seat for the first
time to commission services for patients is essential if we want
to boost the quality of services for patients, but also deliver
the efficiency savings needed in the NHS."
Examples of clinicians in clinical commissioning groups starting
to move away from the hospital-based system and deliver better
care for their patients in the community include:
• The Dartford, Gravesham & Swanley Clinical
Commissioning Group’s focus on preventing hospital admissions saw
a 33% reduction in hospital attendances and admissions amongst
care home patients over a six month period.
• In Nottingham, the clinical commissioning group has reduced
emergency admissions by working with all GP practices in the area
to provide as much information as possible to patients about the
new 111 service.
• A clinical commissioning group in Barnet has set up a community
gynaecologist, helping over 400 women a month get this treatment
closer to home, not in hospital.
• A clinical commissioning group in Bedfordshire has set up a
team to deal exclusively with care home emergency calls and
arranged for vulnerable older people to be treated in their home,
and made nearly a 40% reduction in hospital visits.
• Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group has
developed a simple blood test for GPs to improve care for heart
failure patients which will save the NHS locally up to £60,000 a
year, and benefit on average 10 patients at every practice in the
catchment area.
• A clinical commissioning group in Torbay has set up an
innovative fitness and exercise programme that has resulted in
around 60 per cent of the people who attended the pilot course
losing 5-10 per cent of their body weight.
• A clinical commissioning group in Wigan has redesigned stroke
services and reduced the average hospital stay for patients from
56 days to 12 days, reducing A&E waits and saving £700,000
per year.
Further case studies can be found at: http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/resources-pathfinders/case-studies/
Contacts:
Department of Health
Phone: 020 7210 5221
NDS.DH@coi.gsi.gov.uk