14 July 2009
Patients in Cambridgeshire will soon be provided with improved care at the end of their lives and more choice of where they want to live and die as a result of a new pilot programme announced by the Government earlier this year.
A partnership between three healthcare organisations in Cambridgeshire was chosen by the Department of Health to run a pilot programme to develop new and improved ways of providing end of life care for patients in Cambridgeshire.
Assura Cambridge LLP, Cambridgeshire Community Services (the provider services directorate of NHS Cambridgeshire) and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust have jointly been appointed as one of only 16 Integrated Care Organisation (ICO) pilots across the country and will work together on the two year Cambridgeshire ICO Pilot scheme.
Presently, end of life care in Cambridgeshire is provided by a range of health and social care organisations in a variety of care settings including care homes, hospitals and hospices.
The Cambridgeshire ICO will explore and evaluate how the different services and organisations work together and how patients’ experiences can be improved by a more joined up and integrated approach. It will also look at how the different organisations can better communicate and co-ordinate end of life care to enable people to be cared for and die in the place they choose.
At present, circa 26% of patients in the area covered by this pilot die at home which is slightly better than the national average of 24%. The pilot is aiming to increase this figure to 50% of patients dying in a place of their choice.
The pilot will improve public and patient engagement to ensure services are fully sensitive to patients’ needs. The aims of the pilot are in line with both local and national strategy for healthcare and supported by NHS Cambridgeshire.
Commenting, Dr James Morrow, chair of Assura Cambridge LLP, which is a partnership between Assura and 18 local GP practices, said: "The focus will be on improving the current good work undertaken around end of life care.
"The scheme will provide the opportunity for clinicians – working closely with partners and the community more widely – to use their ‘on the ground knowledge’ of the local population to provide services that are more flexible, personalised and geared to local needs.
"We are delighted to be working with Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Cambridgeshire Community Services".
Speaking about the scheme, Dr Dee Traue, consultant in palliative medicine at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, part of Cambridgeshire University Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Providing high quality palliative and end of life care is a priority for Addenbrooke’s.
"We welcome the opportunity this scheme brings to strengthen partnership working with primary care and community services to ensure that our patients receive the best possible care in the setting of their choice".
ENDS
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