Local health and care organisations to partner up to improve patient experience
What is an integrated care system?
An Integrated Care System is a way of working across health and care organisations. It allows partners to work closely together to take shared responsibility for the health and wellbeing of people across large areas.
Partners can be doctors, nurses, care workers, and therapists. It is thought that by joining up working, a patient's whole needs can be looked after and preventative measures can be made.
Becoming an ICS will mean local people will begin to see health and care services work in a more joined-up way, meaning that they only have to tell their story once and will receive care better tailored to their individual needs.
Speaking of the partnership and the priorities for the health and care partners the BSW partnership said:
"We will prioritise issues that matter to local communities as well as managing health and care provision during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Together this will help us achieve our vision of ‘working together to empower people to lead their best life."
The BSW Partnership intends to do this through five key ambitions:
- To improve the health and wellbeing of our population
- Reduce health and care inequalities
- Improve the quality and experience of care for those receiving and those delivering
- Ensure workforce development and wellbeing
- Make the best use of resources
We’re really pleased to see a further four integrated care systems designated in the South West, joining Gloucestershire and Dorset. The benefits should be felt by local people for years to come in terms of coordinated planning and care.
