Members of the public are being asked to help shape the way NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group joins up community services in an engagement process which will run until 13 December.
The CCG has developed a prospectus for a Multi-Specially Community Provider (MCP) which will join up all ‘out of hospital’ services, to better meet the population needs from staying well to urgent care; ongoing care and high need/high cost care. The MCP is also likely to include some services that are, currently, based in hospitals, including some outpatient clinics or care for frail and older people as well as some medical assessments.
NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), vice clinical chair, Dr Fadi Khalil said: “Instead of being discharged from one service and referred to another, we want services to work together to provide local people with an efficient, joined up system of care.
“The Multi-Specialty Community Provider (MCP) is a new approach to out of hospital health and care services. This will ensure that our NHS healthcare is fit for the future and delivers the effective, efficient and seamless care that the people of Sunderland expect.”
A significant amount of engagement has already been carried out through the Sunderland vanguard programme, All Together Better (ATB), which has improved links between hospitals and community services and within community services. Age UK Sunderland was commissioned to undertake this engagement along with Sunderland Carers’ Centre; it included a series of 34 formal and 61 informal engagements, including presentations and discussions, with diverse groups across the City of Sunderland.
Dr Khalil said: “Our earlier engagement identified the most important aspects for people were to to stay independent for longer (40%), have fast access to care and support (22%), see a health and social care professional together rather than waiting for separate appointments (13%) and have a single point of contact to get the required services (13%).
The CCG is now looking for feedback on the prospectus developed following this earlier engagement and the public are being asked to consider the design principles, priorities and outcomes of the MCP as well as its potential impact.
The results of the public engagement give further insight into patients, stakeholders and the public’s response to the proposed plans and will inform the CCG in the next stages, including any amends to the Prospectus and to identify any opportunities to further shape the way the MCP is commissioned and delivered.
You can view the prospectus and complete a survey online at http://www.sunderlandccg.nhs.
A report on public engagement activity is due to be completed early in the New Year.