COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE ICB TO INTRODUCE LEAD PROVIDER FOR COMMUNITY SERVICES
9 November 2023
Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board (ICB) are pleased to announce today an exciting new step in how adult community care is delivered in Coventry and Warwickshire.
Some of the most important services we provide are those we provide in the community, treating people in and near their own homes. It’s a key part of our vision for the local population to promote independence and help people to start well, live well and age well.
Building on the success of our previous Out of Hospital lead provider contracts, the ICB intends to award two new contracts, one in Coventry and one in Warwickshire. These contracts will allow a single “Lead Provider” to assume greater responsibility for both delivering and commissioning a range of community services, based on the priorities and needs of residents.
Phil Johns, Chief Executive for Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Board, said:
“Supporting people to keep their independence at home is at the heart of our approach to community care. These new contracts will bring together a range of community services, led by a single provider. The lead provider will work closely with primary, secondary and social care teams to make services feel seamless for those who use them.”
Bringing services together in this way and moving both funding and decision making closer to the local population is significant milestone in our journey to providing truly integrated care for Coventry and Warwickshire and I look forward to seeing the benefits that they bring for the local population.”
Following a comprehensive review of Out of Hospital Services, the ICB has identified that South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust (for Warwickshire) and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (for Coventry) are the providers identified to deliver this new, expanded "community integrator" service for Coventry and Warwickshire. Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, who currently deliver adult community health services in Coventry, have announced their intention to focus on their core mental health, learning disabilities and autism services and integrated children’s services.
Adam Carson, Managing Director at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust, said:
“We have proudly been an integrated Trust for 12 years and know how valuable strong connections between community and acute teams are, so I am delighted we that we have been identified as the lead provider and will be working with the ICB to continue to deliver these vital services.
A joined-up approach has enabled us to be an outstanding organisation, providing the right care, in the right place, to our local populations. Going forward, there is going to be significant growth in out of hospital services which will support long term sustainability of health provision and also help people to live as well and independently as possible. This home first shift is a key part of our strategy and will support people to maintain their independence and prevent or reduce some of the associated risks of staying in hospital such as de-conditioning.
Partnerships will play a big role in these strategic aims, we will further our working with partners in primary care, other NHS providers, local authorities, the voluntary sector, hospices, and higher education. This collaborative approach will help us to respond to local needs, address health inequalities and ultimately support people to live heathier, happier lives.
I know we have amazing teams, not only in our out of hospital services, but also acute teams that work collaboratively with community services, to embed the home first ethos.”
Professor Andy Hardy, Chief Executive at University Hospitals of Coventry and Warwickshire, said:
“One of the key purposes in our organisational strategy More than a Hospital is to deliver greater local integrated care to ensure that local people receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
“At UHCW, we want to expand and grow community-based provision aligned to the Improving Lives programme we along with other partners in Coventry are working together on.
“Following the news that it is the intention that UHCW will become the lead provider for community services for adults in Coventry in April 2024, our immediate priority is to support the smooth transition of services for staff and patients, whilst continuing to deliver excellent care for local residents”.
Mel Coombes MBE, Chief Executive Officer at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, said:
“We strongly believe that now is the time to integrate services to improve the care provided to our patients. Our decision has been firmly led by what is best for our patients, their loved ones, and the communities we serve. Integration reduces the risk of handovers of care across organisations and will improve the experience for patients. We are incredibly proud of the clinical expertise we have developed in adult physical community services, which will now move over to UHCW to strengthen Coventry’s community offering. These highly skilled, expert teams will continue to ensure more patients can be cared for and treated in their own homes or usual place of residence, with better outcomes.
“Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust is committed to continue provide and further develop integrated Children’s services within Coventry and Warwickshire and see this as an exciting opportunity. This will bring together services for children and young people with physical, mental health and learning disabilities and autism needs, and will ensure smoother care pathways for children and their families. As a health care system, we are confident that this is right for patients, their families, and carers, as well as our dedicated and passionate staff.”
The ICB will now work with the two identified lead providers to develop the detail of the services and we will update stakeholders as to the next steps in due course.