Primary and secondary care must stop “seeing each other as “competitors for a diminishing NHS budget”, NHS leaders have argued.
In order to challenge this thinking, NHS Alliance and the Foundation Trust network (FTN) have formed a partnership to streamline the healthcare system and encourage communication between primary and secondary care services.
The strategic agreement will help bring together leaders of the primary and secondary care service providers.
Both bodies have committed to:
Primary and secondary care must stop “seeing each other as “competitors for a diminishing NHS budget”, NHS leaders have argued.
In order to challenge this thinking, NHS Alliance and the Foundation Trust network (FTN) have formed a partnership to streamline the healthcare system and encourage communication between primary and secondary care services.
The strategic agreement will help bring together leaders of the primary and secondary care service providers.
Both bodies have committed to:
– Discussing difficult challenges and identifying solutions that suit both primary and secondary care.
– Improving communication between healthcare professionals and helping to support good practice by sharing case studies.
– Publishing a series of papers to capture findings of six months’ collaborative work.
Chief executive of NHS Alliance, Rick Stern said: “Central to the fragmentation of care is the divide between primary care and the hospital. A strategic partnership between NHS Alliance and the Foundation Trust Network is an attempt to look anew at the things that have kept us apart and offer some fresh perspectives on the potential for working together and deliver better patient care across our communities.
“Primary care and secondary care have seen each other as competitors for a diminishing NHS budget, protecting vested professional and organisational interests, rather than working towards common goals for patients. We want to challenge this thinking.”
Chief executive of the FTN, Chris Hopson described the integration and alignment of frameworks as “absolutely crucial”
He said: “Getting this right will provide patients with a more seamless and effective health service, and protect the values which the NHS stands by. It will allow a focus on preventative measures, ensuring those requiring acute or specialist care are swiftly referred for the right treatment, providing the best possible care and support to those with long term conditions and empowering people to manage their own care where appropriate.”
The two healthcare providers will form their partnership based on common values:
1. Patients play a principal role in making decisions about their own care and in managing their own conditions – the health reform should help enable this and cater for people’s requirements.
2. Success is measured by outcomes achieved for patients.
3. Focus on how to achieve best outcomes and value for population.
4. Highlighting the importance of primary and secondary care facilities across acute, mental health, community and ambulance sectors within the local health economy.
5. Delivering more care in the community in some areas and forging closer links between primary and secondary care.
The first of the series of papers will be published in mid November.
