Some assembly required: Implementing new models of care - Lessons from the new care models (The Health Foundation)

Summary

This report, by Anna Starling for The Health Foundation, identifies additional implications of the new care models programme for local health and social care leaders embarking on cross-organisational change. The new care models programme is a large-scale experiment by the NHS’s national bodies to develop ‘major new care models’ that can be replicated across England. Introduced by the NHS’s Five year forward view in 2014 and launched in 2015, it aims to break down the traditional barriers between health and care organisations to establish more personalised and coordinated health services for patients. The programme aims to reconcile ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ approaches to change management. To do this, 50 local vanguard sites were selected to develop new care models, supported by a national programme led by NHS England over 3 years. 

Content

What will I learn?

The report identifies 10 lessons to support providers and commissioners seeking to adopt this new approach:

• Start by focusing on a specific population.
• Involve primary care from the start.
• Go where the energy is.
• Spend time developing shared understanding of challenges.
• Work through and thoroughly test assumptions about how activities will achieve results.
• Find ways to learn from others and assess suitability of interventions.
• Set up an ‘engine room’ for change.
• Distribute decision-making roles.
• Invest in workforce development at all levels.
• Test, evaluate and adapt for continuous improvement.