Health and well-being improvements… a year on

Integrating health and social care across Cheshire East has led to a string of health care improvements for patients during the last year.

The ‘Delivering the Better Care Fund in Cheshire East 2017-19’ was fully assured by NHS England in December 2017. Health and social care services for patients across Cheshire East are set to further improve according to Councillor Janet Clowes.

The Spring Budget 2017 announced £2 billion to support adult social care across England – this equated to Cheshire East receiving their slice of almost £25m during 2017/18.

Initiatives over the last year have included:

- Reducing the number of falls for older people

- Tackling delays in discharge from hospital

- Implementing almost 1,000 packages of care through a pilot scheme

- Telecare usage – on average, more than 2,500 patients use it each month

- New systems led to 3,175 safeguarding concerns were raised

- 318 disabled people were able to live independently through extra funding

- 194 people were able to return to their home earlier as provisions were quickly put in place

- Additional carers were able to care for an extra 872 people.

Councillor Janet Clowes, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for adult social care and integration, said: “The improved better care fund has been created to support some of our most vulnerable residents to provide better integrated health and social care services.

“Proof of the pudding is in the results. After a year, we are already seeing dramatic improvements for patients across Cheshire East – these have resulted in better and faster access to the right health and social care services, near to or at their home.

“It is another example of our commitment to providing the right care in the right place at the right time. I would like to thank all our health partners for their continued support – these initiatives are continuing to make a significant difference.”