New health group promises seamless care
A new virtual organisation which will oversee out-of-hospital care will launch in April.
The All Together Better Alliance will focus on providing care which will support the best use of health and care services and improve patient and carer experience.
Philip Foster, chief operating officer of Sunderland Care and Support, and Martin Weatherhead, a practising GP from the city have been appointed as managing director and chair of the All Together Better Alliance board respectively.
Philip said: “I have been privileged to be involved in the Vanguard programme since its inception, so moving over to the new organisation and taking it forward was a very natural step – a natural progression for me.
“Our community health and care system has some fantastic services, many innovative others traditional but strong with a highly skilled, experienced and committed workforce of fantastic quality.
“I am looking forward to delivering closer integration between services in the community with the aim of promoting health and wellbeing, delivering quality care for patients, and ensuring sustainability of the local system.”
The decision to set up a formal Alliance was taken by commissioners Sunderland CCG and Sunderland City Council, and health and social care providers last year following public support.
The Alliance model means different providers will act as a single organisation.
It will have overall responsibility for all care for people aged 18 or over, apart from acute in-patient hospital care.
This will see everything from GP and district nursing, mental health services, therapies, urgent care and Recovery at Home fall under the Alliance, which will have an overall budget of around £240million.
It will look to build on an NHS England funded new model of care programme which was implemented in Sunderland to establishing new ways of working that enhanced the care given to the most vulnerable people.
All Together Better Alliance will now look to ensure that the care system is fit for the future, meeting Sunderland’s needs and delivering the effective, efficient and seamless care that the people of Sunderland expect.
Dr Weatherhead said: “I think it is really important that local people are provided a service that, really, they deserve.
“We have tried in the past to provide first class service, and individual organisations and providers have given elements of care that are firstclass, but it is never going to be as good as it could be unless we all work together.
“I feel quite privileged to be in this role, because I am sure we can make a difference.”
“We have bold ambitions for the future and we now have to work together to make sure that they are attained.