Bill’s story articulates the concept and benefits of ICTs which have been developed by the enhanced primary and community care (EPCC) programme of Together We’re Better; Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent’s Sustainability and Transformation Partnership.
Jane Holmes, Advanced Nurse Practitioner at Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “ICTs put the person at the centre and break down the traditional organisational boundaries so that professionals can work together to provide a truly holistic package of care. As portrayed in Bill’s story, the aim of ICTs is to deliver effective and timely care that promotes independence and helps keep a person at home.”
ICTs consist of professionals from primary care, local NHS trusts, local authorities and the voluntary sector. Together they work as a single team, providing integrated care that is established from the specific health and care needs of the local population.
Marcus Warnes, Accountable Office for Staffordshire’s six Clinical Commissioning Groups and Senior Responsible Officer for the EPCC programme, said: “We know that health and care systems can be difficult to navigate, particularly for people who have numerous and sometimes complex health and care needs like Bill. ICTs work in a co-ordinated way to make the delivery of care simple and effective for everyone involved.
“Bill’s story speaks to people in a way which is easy to understand and brings to life the positive impact which integrated care is having, not only for people receiving care, but also professionals who are becoming empowered to work more collaboratively to deliver better outcomes for the communities they serve.”
Simon Whitehouse, Director for Together We’re Better, added: “We need to ensure that health and care services in our local communities work in a way that means everyone is supported like Bill is in this short film. The film is an excellent example of how, by working together in a more integrated way, health and care professionals can enable more people to remain independent for longer and to live more healthy, active lives.
“Integrated Care Teams are a priority for the Together We’re Better partnership and I am excited to see how they will continue to flourish and improve the lives of the local people and communities they serve.”