Improving Lives Programme

NHS Trusts are working in partnership with Coventry City Council, Coventry and Warwickshire Integrated Care Service (ICS) and Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Partnership Trust (CWPT) to transform Coventry’s services for older people so that they can lead independent lives in good health.

The programme is fundamentally changing the way we support people in Coventry with an urgent need. Health and care agencies in the city are working together to improve outcomes for people, who for some reason, find themselves needing extra help from the hospital, community services or adult social care. 

This work forms part of the Coventry Place programme bringing together partners from across the city to work together to meet the needs of our population and promote health and wellbeing.

Successful implementation will significantly improve outcomes for older people and their carers; empower staff across health and social care and reduce duplication of services.

In December 2021, an assessment by Newton Europe of current services, completed with teams in the organisations providing care and services to older people, identified improvements could be made. Key findings from this work are:

• 37 per cent of older people could avoid attending hospital with better access to community services and better decision making.
• 38 per cent of our patients could be prevented from being admitted to hospital through better support in the community and at the ‘front door’
• 43 per cent of older patients could spend fewer days in hospital after being deemed fit for discharge.
• We can support an additional 1600 users to remain independent for longer in the community.

Now that we understand the problems with our current ways of working, and the areas to focus on for transformation, we are working with our teams on the changes we need to implement.

New ways of working will be tested during the next phase to make sure that everyone is ready and that we only commit to implementation where it will make a difference. 

 

Trialing new ways of working

During April and May 2023, following a period of design, we have begun trials to respond to the findings of the diagnostic exercise. Two trials, involving staff and patients/residents, are in areas such as preventing avoidable hospital admissions, managing more patients in the community with therapy services and reducing delays in discharge.

One Coventry Integrated Care Team (OCIT) - piloting an integrated care model to lead discharge planning and deliver urgent support in the community.  In June 2024, three Local Integrated Teams (LITs) went live in Coventry, comprising staff from across community services, adult social care and the acute hospital to support patients in or close to their homes. 

Hospital Processes - exploring how we identify patients who could avoid hospital admission and be better supported through community services and pathways at home. 

Here's what patients are saying about being involved in the trials for the new ways of working:

"After discharge from hospital, carers and the Occupational Therapist were very friendly and explained everthing".

"I'd never spoken to an occupational therapist before so didn't know what to expect, but they explained what they would do, and brought me all the equipment I needed". 

We will use this webpage to update on the progress being made so that our teams across the NHS and local authority can hear what’s happening to improve the lives of older people in Coventry.  

For more information contact: improvinglives@uhcw.nhs.uk

 

 

 

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