Hounslow’s Labour administration have approved a bold new pilot programme for primary care at Maswell Park and Heart of Hounslow health centres.
The trial will create two ‘Hounslow Care Together’ teams, who will provide integrated health and social care support to around 400 patients living with frailty or complex health and care needs.
Each team will include a GP, a paramedic or nurse, a floating support worker to help those with significant social needs, a community health worker, and a team coordinator.
These teams will help to reduce the siloed nature of health and social care and reduce waiting times and bureaucracy around referrals.
It follows an extensive review commissioned in 2023/24, which pointed to a lack of sufficiently proactive, joined up care for those with high needs and frailty.
The scheme also aligns closely with the NHS Fit for the Future: 10 Year Health Plan for England, with its three shifts:
- From hospital to community
- From sickness to prevention
- From analogue to digital
Since the Labour Government took office:
- Waiting lists have fallen by over 260,000
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7 million extra GP appointments have been created
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Here in Hounslow, GP appointments have increased by 6%.
- 1,900 GPs have been recruited
- Over 1,000 GP practices have received investment, including some here in Hounslow
The ‘Hounslow Care Together’ trial builds on the recent success of another ground-breaking pilot at West Middlesex Hospital.
The ‘Linking Hospital to VCS Hospital Discharge Pilot Workshop’ was a collaboration between Hounslow Council, NHS Staff, and voluntary sector partners, which embedded a dedicated Targeted Support Officer on the wards.
This ensured that patients had the support they needed to be able to live comfortably at home. The scheme is estimated to have freed up £227,000 worth of hospital beds in just three months.
Cllr Lily Bath, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Public Health and Health Integration, commented that:
“After years of austerity and rising demands on health and social care services, we welcome the additional support from the Labour Government.
“But better care doesn’t just come from extra investment, it also means being clever about how we use our resources.
“This new trial at Maswell Park and Heart of Hounslow will provide patients with more joined up care. Having a dedicated team to work together on every aspect of a patient’s care needs reduces the risk of being trapped in silos, wrapped up in bureaucracy, or being bounced between referrals.
“The Government’s three shifts from sickness to prevention, analogue to digital, and from hospital to community will make a big difference across the country. Here in Hounslow, we’re playing our part.”