As patients pass between organisations for their health care, there is often duplication, inefficiency and waste that can create a poor experience. Integrated care is a means by which different services can work together to increase the quality of care, reduce waste and costs and make the patient journey smoother.
The NHS Institute’s joined-up care initiative has identified five key principles and some practical steps organisations can take to make integrated care a reality. The principles are: leadership; culture; workforce; making it happen; and patient-centred.
Also see:
NHS Confederation’s Building integrated care Lessons from the UK and elsewhere
National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare’s Integrated Care Pathways: A guide to good practice
Where next for integrated care organisations in the English NHS? from the King’s Fund and the Nuffield Trust.
Where next for the NHS reforms? The case for integrated care from the King’s Fund