Supporting system sustainability
System sustainability includes the sustainability of acute, primary, community, mental health, adults and children’s social care, together with the voluntary and community sector and private care.
We recognise that across the public, private and VCFSE partners, and within individual households, neighbourhoods and communities, there are growing financial pressures which threaten the best intentions to develop more holistic, person-centered and community-centred care and services.
The neighbourhood health service, in concept and in delivery, cannot be a panacea to all of the socio-economic challenges facing communities. However, within our Target Operating Model, there are opportunities to:
- Ensure the arrangements we are developing at place level, including around having an integrator in each, provide the required support for parts of the system facing specific challenges, including individual local practices.
This is not about taking over practices or contracts, but ensuring that those that are at risk have access to infrastructure and support to mitigate those risks, and that neighbouring communities can continue to have access to core services as part of INTs. The priorities for this support and the options for practices will be co-developed further with primary care colleagues as part of the next phase of this work.
- Recognise the criticality of the voluntary and community sector.
Work locally and as a region on a commissioning strategy that will develop longer term and stable arrangements which enable VCFSE organisations in London to play a full part in supporting improved outcomes across all neighbourhoods and communities.
- Work with local authority colleagues to develop the relationship between the neighbourhood health service and improving access to, and the sustainability of, social care.
Specifically, this is about working jointly to prevent ill-health and promote independence to improve individual outcomes whilst addressing growing activity, demand and financial pressures across the NHS and local government.
- Better manage activity and flow across all parts of the health and care system.
Working with acute, community and mental health providers alongside wider primary care and other healthcare providers, to ensure that all communities have access to the services they need to support their health and wellbeing, now and in the future.