featuring the frontline staff who helped design and deliver a hugely successful pilot scheme on South Tyneside.
Their sheer enthusiasm for joined up care will leave you convinced. As the experienced care manager who runs the integrated community team tells the film makers: "I've led a lot of teams working in different ways and I can honestly say to go back to our old way of working would be a crime....because we can see the benefits for the patients and the staff".
Right from the start the chief executives of the local NHS and local authority’s stood back and gave frontline staff permission to shape an experimental community care team the way they wanted to. There had been unsuccessful attempts at integrating care in this challenged, ex-shipbuilding community before – but the CCG says much of its success this time was due to enormous support from NHS Improving Quality.NHSIQ held workshops to help frontline staff realise their vision, break down barriers between organisations and support everyone involved as they began to work together out of one office – in the heart of the community they were serving. Staff report that brining health and social care professionals together for regular caseload meetings immediately improved communication, reduced duplication of visits to patients and gave all staff involved an enormous boost in their job satisfaction.
NHS Improving Quality commissioned this TV documentary-style film from Mandrill Media – the UK’s most experienced producer of health video. It’s a record of what’s been achieved on South Tyneside and a powerful encouragement to others who are considering joining forces to deliver joined up health and social care.
Chris Wise. Producer, Mandrill Media Ltd