James Pollitt, Assistant Director of Strategic Development at Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust, and Jean Templeton, Chief Executive at the youth homeless charity St Basils, discuss how the NHS in their ICS is working with partners to enable social and economic development, and why other systems should be following suit. The lively discussion sees James and Jean discuss how partnership working across the system is tackling health inequalities head on, utilising empty NHS buildings more effectively, and how the local economy has been strengthened for the benefit of the whole community. As Jean puts it, “INtegrated care is about keeping people IN”, and making sure no one gets left out.

Autumn’s Integrated Care Podcast Series kicks off this week with a deep-dive into Somerset ICS’s journey to substantially improve mental health services through NHS, local authority and VCSE partnership.

Their way of working, “a masterclass in positive risk taking and leadership” as Jane Yeandle from Somerset NHS Foundation Trust puts it, has seen a model influenced by co-production and an innovative approach to commissioning.

It’s all guided by people with lived experience of navigating complex systems. The ‘no wrong door’ approach has maximised the mental health support available to individuals while creating a significant feelgood factor across the system.

GP Dr Ursula Montgomery is joined by secondary care clinicians, Professor Joseph Dias and Professor Chris Moran, to discuss how closer working between primary and secondary care has benefited patients waiting for the next stage of their care. Find out how new and innovative ways of working during the pandemic have become the norm, including the use of system wide resources and greater patient outreach with targeted help and support to ensure there is a focus on quality of life for the patients as they wait.

A discussion on how partnership working is building stronger ties between housing and health that is seeing positive outcomes for local populations. Work that is achieving vast efficiencies, while also seeing a reduction in people needing to contact their local GP or NHS111. All accomplished in part by focusing on the solution rather than the process, taking the time to get it right and remaining resilient when faced with resistance.

Three Partners in General Practice come together to discuss their journey towards becoming a Partner in their practice, the support available to them through schemes like the New to Partnerships Payment Scheme, and why they would recommend others consider taking up a partnership opportunity. The podcast is chaired by Dr Mike Holmes, GP Partner at the Haxby Group Practice in York who is joined by Mark Coultate, a Paramedic and Partner in his practice, as well as Heather Rodgers, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner who recently became a Partner at Brook Lane Surgery in Southampton.

NHS England and NHS Improvement, Learning Disability and Autism, National Clinical Director is in conversation with Fazilla Amide, whose 17 year old son has complex health needs, learning disability and autism. They talk about the importance of collaborative working across health and social care to ensure the best outcomes can be achieved for people with a learning disability and autistic people in vaccination appointments. The podcast provides advice and support around good communication, the range of reasonable adjustments that should be considered and needle phobia. As well as some specific examples of good practice.

Links to accessible resources referenced in the podcast:

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england and search for ‘Covid 19 Vaccinations’

www.england.nhs.uk and search for ‘reasonable adjustments’

Frontline clinicians discuss how collaborative working has ensured care homes and local health services have been able to come together as part of primary care networks to successfully deliver a challenging vaccination programme, while also providing enhanced healthcare for patients and greater support for staff. We also hear how integrated care systems have been able to strengthen this work offering strategies that, among other things, have ensured a redistribution of resources to where they’re needed most during the pandemic.

The creation of a shared purpose is seeing great improvements for patients in the Sussex Health and Care Partnership, as organisations in the integrated care system work closer together to meet the changing needs of the local population. A great example of this is the Mental Health Collaborative that recognises mental health and wellbeing as the responsibility of the whole health and care system. And, in this 17 minute podcast we hear from those involved in the collaborative and how closer working and gathered learning that informs future practice, centred around the patient’s perspective, can reap huge benefits for residents.

Working in networks primary care services have been coming together to offer a safe, digital response to the pandemic, and in this podcast we hear from two primary care networks who discuss the challenges they’ve overcome to ensure greater access for patients moving forward.

Audio information from the NHS about help and advice your pharmacist can give you, including help with minor illnesses, help with your medicines and other services.

Help Us, Help You – Get it seen to

For more information go to nhs.uk/pharmacyadvice