Since Ian Curryer, Chief Executive of Nottingham City Council and ICP Lead left us for pastures new at the end of April, I’ve been honoured to act as interim City ICP lead in addition to my role as ICP Clinical Director. I feel privileged to be stepping into this role even if only for a short period, but it also feels exciting as we move out of lockdown and consider what the ICP can offer to our City in the ‘new normal’.
As we move into restoration and recovery, the ‘next phase’ of the Covid pandemic, I have taken a moment to reflect upon the extensive work everyone involved in Nottingham City ICP has been undertaking. While the past few months have been challenging for everyone, across the Nottingham City ICP we have pulled together like never before. Our response to Covid has proven what is possible when a group of organisations have a shared purpose and set of objectives. and I am so proud to be a part of that.
Now it’s time for us to collectively build on the positive changes we have implemented. I’m excited for us to share the vision of Nottingham City ICP and work to maximise the opportunities that lay ahead of us.
Setting our priorities
Before the pandemic we, the Nottingham City ICP partners, were close to defining our priorities and key programmes of work for the coming year. However, the needs of our citizens have been, and will continue to be, impacted in different ways by Covid. Therefore, for us to continue to add value and maximise the impact on our population’s health and wellbeing, it has been important for us, to review our priorities and ensure they support the wider restore and recover agenda across Nottinghamshire.
Having completed this review, our priorities are to:
- Support people who face multiple disadvantages to live longer and healthier lives
- Better prepare children and young people to leave care and live independently
- Reduce smoking prevalence by supporting those who smoke or who are at risk of smoking
- Increase the number of people receiving flu vaccinations
- Reduce inequalities in health outcomes in BAME communities
- Develop the Integrated Care Partnership and establish the ICP culture
Building our programmes
Each priority has a dedicated programme lead, executive sponsor, and key partners. The project teams are developing delivery plans for each programme and will report into the ICP Programme Steering Group, which meets monthly. In addition, the ICP Forum – which is mainly attended by councillors and non-executives – provides further challenge and assurance.
Successes to date
The Government’s ‘Everyone In’ scheme, to house rough sleepers in hotels during lockdown, provided the perfect opportunity for us to explore new ways of working for the benefit of these vulnerable citizens. Bringing together partners we designed a wraparound model to create a support network building on the good work of the City Council’s Housing Aid service and found long term accommodation and associated support to 36 rough sleepers across the city.
We championed the development of Clinical Management Centres (CMCs) and a Covid Home Visiting Service, where GPs could safely see patients with possible Covid symptoms. In this way, 745 people with suspected Covid were seen, face-to-face, for an assessment in a CMC or by a GP in their own home.
We have worked with our Primary Care Networks to create a central hub for ongoing care of patients with suspected Covid and developed a service to help get people with no transport into the city centre so they don’t have to use public transport.
CityCare have been supporting care homes, providing training and support around testing and PPE.
You may already know that Nottingham City ICP has taken the plunge and is now on Twitter, where we’re showing off our new logo… Give us a follow @Nottmcityicp to keep informed of our latest developments.
You can also find out more about our partnership and how to contact the ICP team here
I look forward to keeping you all up to date as we progress with our priorities.
Dr Hugh Porter.
Clinical Director and Interim Lead – Nottingham City Integrated Care Partnership