NHS Quest CEO Breakfast Session: Using Data to Design Integrated Models of Care

On Friday 4 August we were joined by representatives from 6 NHS Trusts. Focusing on how to use data to design integrated models of care, this Breakfast Session was led by Carolyn Gullery, Interim Chief Operating Officer at Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust.

Using her experiences from the healthcare system in Canterbury, New Zealand, where Carolyn worked as an Executive Director, the scene was set for how this piece of work came about. Applying learnings from Canterbury to her current role in Mid-Yorkshire, Carolyn was able to derive vital insights into the Wakefield healthcare system.

There was a core population who statistically had the signals to indicate who was a ‘high risk’ adult. By identifying this group of people, they hoped to find the trigger for people joining this at-risk group.

This is highlighted by the poignant statistic that 1% of our population accounts for 60% of occupied beds.

If we target this group of people and use a different response, then not only can we reduce the length of time they stay in hospital, but we can also reduce the community care needs. We can change their trajectory.

To uncover this information, the team have used Lightfoot Solutions‘ Planning for Populations – The Impact of High Risk Adults programme.

This data shows the daily average bed occupancy of high-risk vs non-high risk adults with certain conditions within one month.

High risk adults wait longer after a 999 call, they wait longer in the ED, and they stay longer in hospital.

What’s more, the most deprived populations join the cohort (high risk adults) earlier.

So, how can we make a difference?

By taking an approach that’s more about populations, and getting staff joined up around the idea that this group needs to be identified and managed in a different way.

The Dovecote Pilot

The Dovecote Pilot aimed to see if instead of admitting someone, can we get them to safe point by rehabilitating and extending the care at home?

Since the project started in Wakefield at beginning of March 2023, the population had 92 fewer admissions than was forecasted. The pilot worked to focus everyone’s minds on the need to support this population in a different way.

The use of live data was also critical, as it alerts those who need to be when someone meets the criteria to be a high risk adult.

Wards across Wakefield have worked with individuals to help them connect with community care straight away, not delaying discharge and putting plans in place as soon as possible. All have seen improvements.

The Dovecote Pilot was a huge success, and this work is now business as usual for Wakefield District Health and Care Partnership.

Thank for everyone who attended this session. Please get in touch if you would like more information.