Health and social care professionals have joined forces for the first time working as one community team providing better health and wellbeing for the residents of Boroughbridge, Knaresborough and Green Hammerton.
The What Matters to Us pilot launched at the start of February will test out the new care models ready to go live across the rest of Harrogate district in the summer.
The What Matters to Us programme, is one of the ambitious national Vanguard programmes; led by NHS Harrogate and Rural District Commissioning Group, along with Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council, Yorkshire Health Network and Harrogate and Ripon Centres for Voluntary Service.
The Knaresborough, Green Hammerton and Boroughbridge team has community and mental health nurses, social workers, pharmacists, physiotherapists and care support workers working together alongside GPs to make sure patient care is as joined up as possible.
Key to this new community approach will be a very close link with voluntary services within each area, helping each individual have access to the right care and support when needed.
Bruce Willoughby, GP and clinical lead for the new care model ‘What Matters to Us’ said:
We firmly believe that people should have access to the right care as close to home as possible to keep them healthy, well and independent and only go to hospital if they really need to.
This means changing the way we deliver services so that local people get the right care in the right place, first time, and experience the health and care services they deserve.
We have listened to what local people have said through the consultation held in May last year and responded to those needs.
We will continue to listen to make sure that the services we provide fit the needs of the community.
Gail Cooper, District Nurse and Team Leader for ‘What Matters to Us’ Knaresborough and Boroughbridge said:
We are all very excited about this new pilot service.
By having the team working together as one, in the same location and closer to the community it will make the care more joined up and responsive to the patient.
Having close contact with GP’s will also help us better understand patients individual needs, helping them stay healthier and in their own community as long as possible.
