Stockport’s five main health and social care organisations played host to nearly one hundred NHS and local authority colleagues from across England to share their experiences of bringing about major changes to how services are provided.
Designed to showcase the progress made in the borough over the last two and a half years, the full day event invited professionals from other health and social care economies over to Stockport.
The objective was to provide real, honest insight into the challenges and hurdles that had been faced when designing new services. It also gave the opportunity to showcase some of the successes achieved so far. Guests were able to select two sessions covering their specific areas of interest:
Thinking differently about the money
A session led by the finance leads at the partner organisations, explaining how the approach to finance taken in Stockport has really helped to pave the way for collaborative working.
They covered the benefit of having an ‘open book policy’ which helps to encourage honest, open discussion about the financial implications of the changes being proposed; of having a single plan which all organisations are signed up to; and how the risk and gain share has been worked out across the partners.
Leadership Challenges
Hosted by the director of Stockport Together and the interim provider director, this session gave a frank insight into the tensions and challenges that had been faced in Stockport, and the ways in which they had been overcome.
They also shared their experience of developing a shared vision and the importance of a values and behaviour framework which everyone signs up to.
Bridging the divide using change methodology – Outpatient rapid cycles
This session was hosted by the clinical leads who were part of the NHS England rapid testing programme. They gave an overview of the change methodology that had been implemented, and the importance of having the right climate amongst front-line staff to allow them to feel empowered to make changes.
This group talked through some of the successes that have been made, with specific focus given to the outpatients pathway.
Multi-disciplinary neighbourhood leadership development
Members of the neighbourhood development team shared their experience of implementing a leadership structure for the teams in the eight neighbourhoods across Stockport.
This session looked at how each area has a core team looking at the needs of their residents, and is developing a strategy which will be tailored to meet these on a local level.
Commissioning for an Integrated System
A commissioning team talked about the motivations behind changing the commissioning structure for health and social care in Stockport. They covered the importance of creating the right environment across the partner organisations to allow this change to happen.
The session introduced the concept of the ‘outcomes framework’, and the progress that has been made in this area. They told how important this in the development of a truly integrated health and social care system.
Bringing Providers Together
A session led by the leaders of the provider organisations in Stockport looking at how these, traditionally very separate, organisations are creating a culture which allows them to work together to jointly tackle the issues in the borough.
They covered the creation of alliance arrangements, which have brought about real system-level change in the health and social care economy.
Bridging the divide using change methodology – Transfer to Assess
Another session examining some of the change methodology that has been employed in Stockport, this session was led by the senior team leading a project looking at the discharge process in Stockport.
They explained the challenges that were faced in the borough and the depth of divide that needed to be overcome. They talked through the new ‘transfer to assess’ approach which has helped a number of older people to get home safely after a stay in hospital.
Using technology to bring staff together
The Stockport Together IM&T team talked through their experience of creating a Stockport health and care record, the roll-out of shared wifi across all health and social care properties, and the successful use of EMIS across all neighbourhood services and ED.
They also explained some other initiatives which have enabled the health and care professionals across Stockport to work together more easily, including Consultant Connect and a dermatology pilot.
The event is being repeated on October 3rd. Anyone wishing to attend can still register at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stockport-together-sharing-event-tickets-34749436500
More information on any of the topics covered can be requested by emailing [email protected]