Occupational Therapists improving pathways for patients
A group of Occupational Therapist (OTs) held the first Carlisle joint working event in June.
The objective for the day was staff from different teams to work in groups to discuss on improving referrals, prevent duplication, identify local issues and pathways to improve the patient journey so they have a more positive experience.
The OTs previously met as a smaller group as part of a county wide cross-organisational OT agreement with representatives from the local working agreement facilitators from various teams.
Feedback was positive, a networking opportunity for new staff, identify new areas of improvement to work on , ideas generated, involving everyone in changes, cross organisational training, out of area hospital passport, navigate for out of area referrals.
There are rapid changes in services and this is a platform to update each team where we are up to, agenda items at regular meetings. It is hoped that there will be more sessions to improve on what they have started.
The idea was the brainwave of Emily Kaye an OT in a Community Rehabilitation Team in Carlisle.
She set up the event and invited OTs from Community, Acute, Social Care and Education teams to learn how they could work better together.
The event was well attended with almost 40 OTs, OT assistants, including students from Cumbria Partnership, North Cumbria NHS Trusts, Adult Social Care and Education taking part. There were representatives from teams, including, Acute inpatient wards, Community Rehabilitation, Acquired Brain Injury, Memory & Later Life, COPD, Stroke teams, Mental Health wards, Home First and Persistent Physical Symptoms Service. There was support from senior management, who welcomed the group, recognised the good work of OTs locally and how things have changed in the profession in recent years.
It is inspiring to see OTs working together across the system compared to the past. They highlighted a patient journey and emphasised the need for the connection for OTs in system.
Last month, the North Cumbria Health and Care system was formally confirmed as one of the 14 national integrated health and care systems and is considered by NHS England as one of the most rapidly improving systems in the country.
Cumbria is one of the areas leading the way in an integrated care communities. (ICC) The ICC work together to improve the overall health and wellbeing of the community.
This will mean Health and social care professionals, GPs, the voluntary sector and the community will work as one team to support the health and wellbeing of local people by:
1. Joining up health and care services to work better together
2. Providing more care out of hospital where possible
3. Supporting people to have information about their health conditions.
This will be better for patients and OTs being at forefront of patient care. Patients will often be involved more than one service and it is beneficial for patients and staff to be providing the right care at the right time and not duplicating work. The OTs now know who to contact in different departments.
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