Health and social care: an integrated service
A feature in the July 2012 issue of RCN Bulletin examines the different approaches to health and social care across the four countries of the UK. But services are already integrated in Northern Ireland, one member tells us how it works
Having integrated health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland provides a more streamlined process for patients, according to an RCN member.
Robert Moore, who works for the South Eastern Trust and is a member of the RCN Northern Ireland board, believes it is a system which generally works well for patients.
He said: “From a primary care perspective, I am co-located in a GP practice and manage a number of trust-wide services. Nursing and social services colleagues share the office next door with GPs just down the corridor. Informal conversations as opposed to bureaucratic referral processes mean we can deliver co-ordinated, integrated and responsive services for the local practice population. This is because close proximity provides a clear professional understanding of who does what within the integrated team.”
For patients, Robert said, it can be more streamlined than what happens in other parts of the UK. “Say someone is admitted to hospital, when they come out, they may need health or social care or both in terms of services going into their home. There is better co-ordination as staff are working for the one organisation.”
Funding
Rather than administration and funding being split between the health and social care service and councils, there are five health and social care trusts in Northern Ireland which cover both services. Funding decisions start with the Northern Ireland Executive, which agrees the overall budget for the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety. The funding for each trust is then allocated by the Health and Social Care Board, which is responsible for commissioning services according to local need. Each trust’s board then manages its own budget for health and social care in order to deliver services that meet these defined local priorities.
Challenges
Similar to the rest of the UK, the health and social care service in Northern Ireland is looking at how best to serve the increasing needs of an aging population. The RCN has submitted evidence to a government review, called Transforming Your Care. Robert said that his trust, like the others, is currently examining and developing innovative practices to improve patient care and ensure value for money.