One way they are doing this is by working more closely with us to integrate health and social care – so people who need a lot of support get a better service which is focused on them.
Integrated care
Integrated care is about bringing a wide range of health and social care services together to support people with multiple or complex care needs. It's about putting all the right services in place around the person, in their own home where possible.
Local councils, NHS organisations, other public sector bodies and voluntary sector organisations are working together to make this a reality in Derbyshire.
Integrated care should:
- support people to remain independent and in control of their lives
- provide support in the community when needed
- reduce the need for admission to hospital or to long term care
- improve treatments and the quality of services
- reduce inequalities across the county
- make best use of public money
Examples of integrated care services include:
- a single point of access to services so that GPs can easily get the care they need for their patients and prevent them from going into hospital if they don't need to
- integrated teams of health and social care staff working in the community
- specialist staff who are employed by different organisations (therapists, specialist nurses, community psychiatric nurses and community geriatricians) working together
- identifying patients most at risk of needing extra support
- care homes having a single GP practice assigned to them in North Derbyshire and Hardwick
- developing 'health coaches' in Southern Derbyshire
NHS integrated care boards
Integrated care boards are NHS local organisations responsible for health care in your area. An integrated care board is a statutory body which brings together NHS organisations and partners to improve population health and establish shared priorities within the local NHS.
Integrated care boards:
- plan health services, based on the needs of local people
- buy services to meet those needs
- monitor the quality of the services and care given to patients
There is one integrated care board covering Derby and Derbyshire.
Sharing your information
Your health and social care records contain important information about you. Making that information available to the health and social care staff involved in your care means everyone can work together to give you the best support we can.
Find out how your records are shared between organisations and what they do to make sure your information is kept safe.