The Five Year Forward View - what does it really mean asks The Blonde

The Five Year Forward View first made an appearance in the NHS lexicon of 'change' in October 2014.

In reality this shared vision has the potential to radically reshape the way in which care is delivered in both the NHS and Social Care - we need to work together, get behind this and insure that in four years time the impact of  this programme can be seen from space!

Last week Sam Jones , Director of the New Care Models programme, was speaking about what success will look like:

• Nationally replicable models

• More accessible, more responsive and more effective health, care and support services

• Fewer trips to hospitals

• Care closer to home

• Better co-ordinated support

• 24/7 access to information and advice

• Access to urgent help easily and effectively, seven days a week

I'd certainly have liked to have experienced better co-ordinated, accessible, responsive and effective care and support services for my mother as we travelled on a dementia journey that was disjointed, poorly signposted and we fell through the interface between NHS and social care services (or lack of) more times than I can remember.

I believe these are all quality objectives which we would want for our family and we can get back behind this, the work is a reality now and we can amplify the speed of change if we get interested and get involved.

Did you know that the Vanguard programme is making a difference right now :

• In Mid-Nottinghamshire integrated teams are now live; they are providing preventative treatment to patients deemed to be at high risk of future admission

• 18 of the 20 practices in South Somerset have developed a joint venture model between the hospital and primary care, they will hold a capitated budget for a population, drive innovation and deliver integrated services

• Better Care Together is already developing multidisciplinary core teams based within communities across Morecambe Bay. This is increasing general practice capacity and capability, with an expansion of community based specialist services

• New wrap-around services based within community hubs are emerging. Fylde Coast has opened two extensive care services – located in community health and wellbeing centres with another five planned over the next 18 months

• West Cheshire have adopted a ‘cradle to grave’ approach and their care model is based in the community and emphasises self-care. They are working with schools for these to become places of care

• Airedale and partners is using technology to improve care locally: supporting residents who are sick by providing a secure video link to senior nurses, so they can remain in the care home. This has already made a significant reduction in hospital as place of death for palliative patients and reductions in A&E admissions/non-elective hospital admissions

In the next few months lots will be happening because the ambition is that by 2020 the majority of the country will be covered by these new care models but to do this  the programme has to deliver at scale and pace - can we help with this? Common, simple, standard approaches and tools will be available to make adoption simple, make sure you know how you can find these and apply to your own 'micro' health/social care climate.

I want to be able to say I played my part in making this 'big enough to be seen from space' programme a reality - don't you?

Put the kettle on, get a hobnob and read Sam Jones's full presentation and decide how you will get involved http://bit.ly/1lhB5WU