Shropshire Star

Health bosses to consider plan to shape NHS services

The group which buys healthcare for people in Telford and Wrekin will be asked to approve a plan on how it intends to shape services for the future.

Published

Telford & Wrekin Clinical Commissioning Group's governing board will consider its operational plan for 2019/20 during a meeting tomorrow.

The plan sets out the CCG priorities and the direction of travel to enable it to meet the requirements of the NHS long-term plan.

It covers a range of issues including the development of primary care networks, redesign of community services, improving mental health services and increasing the use of technology.

It also recognises challenges in workforce issues, the rising demand on A&E and for planned care services, as well as significant areas of deprivation in Telford and Wrekin.

The plan states that the CCG is working to ensure patients can avoid hospital admissions where appropriate.

It says the group is implementing a scheme this year which will look at patients who regularly use A&E to find out why and if future attendances could be avoided.

The plan states: "This direct support should begin to move these patients down the tiers from 'urgent today' through to 'urgent in the foreseeable future' and eventually into the self-care tier where they no longer need the regular support of the high intensity service user project."

The CCG also intends to review the rapid response team which has operated in Telford for nearly a decade to prevent A&E attendances and hospital admissions.

The plan says the group is "committed to identifying and implementing admissions avoidance schemes within primary care and the community to enable patients to receive care closer to home during times of crisis or deterioration without requiring attendance at a hospital".

The CCG has also commissioned a dedicated team to support six local care homes to enable staff to provide confident, comprehensive care until the end of life for their residents.

This team aims to reduce A&E attendances, hospital admissions and improve patient experience.

It is planning to increase the number of care homes the team deals with to begin to address the NHS long term plan actions relating to improving healthcare for care home residents.

The CCG's governing board will be asked to approve the operational plan when it meets on Tuesday.

It will also consider plans to merge the organisation with Shropshire CCG to cut running costs.

Shropshire CCG's governing board approved the merger at its meeting tomorrow.