Amanda Bloor, the Chief Officer of the Harrogate and Rural District Clinical Commissioning Group, recently gave an update to the district’s County Councillors on Project Vanguard. (25 May 2016)
Project Vanguard is implementing a new care model based on NHS England’s five year forward view. The current system is unsustainable and sees that 1 in 5 hospital admissions are clinically avoidable and 2 in 3 patients taking up bed space could be treated in a less acute setting.
The new care model brings organisations together to provide a more integrated response to an individuals needs. Currently it involves Harrogate and Rural District Clinical Commissioning Group, North Yorkshire County Council, Tees, Esk and Wear Valley NHS, Harrogate and District Foundation Trust, Harrogate Borough Council and Yorkshire Health Network. There are plans to widen the partnership working to include the police and fire service.
Amanda Bloor gave an update on progress explaining that there were 10 additional community beds in place and there was an integrated team in place for Knaresborough, Green Hammerton and Boroughbridge. From the Summer there will a response and overnight service in place along with integrated teams for Harrogate and Ripon/ Nidderdale.
There are also early indications of progress:
- Mental capacity assessments by the integrated teams rather than a GP
- District and psychiatric nurses working together to get the right care in place
- Timely access to support for carers
- Social care and mental health care staff working together
- Coping strategies to help manage low mood and over medicalisation
- Rapid access to social care rehabilitation services to support people at home
The next step will be to bring prevention to the fore and joining up acute response.
