NHS Pilot
Scheme to Bring Health and Social Care Together
Health Minister Ben Bradshaw and CareServices Minister Phil Hope announcedthat 16 pilot sites will participate in a trialto see how health and social careservices can join together to increasethe quality of care.
The 4million pounds scheme has been designed to explore how services can be designed to improve patients’ experiences, breaking the boundaries between healthcare and social care. The initiative is about catering for local health needs such as dementia, care for the elderly, substance misuse, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and end of life care through partnerships, new systems and care pathways spanning primary, community, secondary and social care.
NHS Celebrate Shortest Waits Since Records Began
Recent data shows that in England, the NHS has met its target of treating patients within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral by their GP. The average wait for treatment for admitted patients is now just 8.6 weeks.
Health Secretary Alan Johnson described this success as a “tremendous achievement for staff” and stressed their commitment and that of the entire health service. Meeting this target has changed the lives of many patients and also benefited clinicians as the quality of care has also improved.
