Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB has published its ‘state of the system’ report, developed by chief executive Kevin Lavery, which explores the progress made so far by the ICB in driving its vision of “developing a high-quality, community-centred health and care system by 2035”, as well as plans for the future.
Key aims set out by the ICB include getting better value from collective resources such as digital assets, money, people and buildings; and using data and intelligence to place focus on local needs and to inform planning and delivery.
The report highlights how a shared services approach has been agreed upon for five functions within the ICB’s trusts, including digital and information and procurement, with the aim of reducing duplicative work and enabling better sharing of best practice as well as gaining value from collective resources. East Lancashire Hospitals Trust is to host the single shared platform.
Regarding use of data, the ICB notes that work is taking place across 2024-2025 to identify people with undiagnosed hypertension and to address health inequalities in this space. Also on health inequalities, the report shares how the ICB has identified “priority wards”, defined as “some of the areas with the highest levels of socio-economic deprivation and poorer health outcomes”. 33 of these wards have been identified through analysis of data and intelligence held by health and care partners, with the ICB set to focus on early interventions, help with long-term condition management and overall health support to tackle the “disproportionate” number of people reported to attend A&E.
Virtual care is highlighted as a way in which the ICB will seek to reduce pressure on hospitals and change the model of care, with the report highlighting how the ICB is exploring ways to “carefully target” patients at risk of hospital admission, or patients currently in hospital with needs that could be managed from their home environment.
The report also shares insight into the New Hospitals Programme within Lancashire and South Cumbria, highlighting how funding has been secured to build two new hospitals to replace existing facilities. The ICB has examined data from The Health Foundation to identify “three standout health issues expected to increase in prevalence” (chronic pain, diabetes and anxiety and depression), and states that in some cases community or primary services may be the more appropriate care setting. As such, this information will be used to “inform the way [we] radically transform health and care” to shift to a community-centric model.
The report can be found in full here.
Integrated care systems: in the spotlight
Earlier in the week, we took a look at project insights and outcomes shared by Coventry and Warwickshire ICS, including data on the ICS’s work with supporting people at home and improving efficiencies around cardiology care.
From Black Country ICB, we shared a £354,000 opportunity for a digital inequalities support service to help improve digital enablement across the region.
HTN explored board papers from Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly ICB for an update on digital progress in the region, highlighting developments around improving digital maturity, citizen engagement and patient experience.
Also this month, we also highlighted an update on the joint forward plan from Norfolk and Waveney ICS, which sets out progress made and insights into how data is being used to measure progress and completion of ambitions.
Also from Lancashire and Cumbria
Narrowing our focus down to the region around Lancashire and Cumbria, HTN interviewed Natalie Hayes, chief nursing information officer at Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals in May – click here to read Natalie’s insights.
We covered the news that Health Innovation North East and North Cumbria opened an early engagement opportunity for a gamified scenario based cyber security exercise, designed to enhance preparedness for cyber events amongst senior leaders in health and social care.
And we explored the 2024-2029 strategy from North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust here.
