Easier to navigate services thanks to new provider partnership

A £110 million deal to deliver services to patients in Heywood Middleton and Rochdale for the next five years has been signed, which will see four service providers working in true partnership for the first time.

A procurement exercise managed by NHS Heywood Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group (HMR CCG) established that the partnership of four providers - the Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Care UK, BMI Highfield Hospital and GP Care Services Ltd, would provide the best way of delivering an end to end service for patients who are referred by their GPs for investigation or treatment in the specialties of Ear Nose and Throat (ENT), gynaecology, orthopaedics, urology and some upper and lower gastro-intestinal problems.

Often there are inefficiencies or delays when agencies are working in isolation on their area of care. This new partnership arrangement will make it easier for the partners to have an overview to effectively refer, triage, assess, treat and monitor the patient along agreed pathways of care.

This partnership means that the patient’s care will be fully integrated and joined up for the first time as they journey from their GP, for their tests and then for their treatment and follow up. A one-stop shop approach could see assessment, diagnosis, patient consultation, direct listing to hospital and a pre op procedure in one appointment, where necessary.

Simon Wootton, Chief Operating Officer of NHS HMR CCG, said: “We were attracted by the provider partnership bid because of the potential for a seamless patient pathway in these specialty areas. This will operate as a one stop service where assessment, diagnosis, patient decision aids and direct listing and pre op where a procedure under general anaesthetic is required will be completed in one place at one time. This will mean a better experience for patients and less duplication in the system which will also mean a better use of resources.

"We are now entering a mobilisation phase, where we will be working towards the development of a joint governance structure and over-arching management board, with representation from each organisation.

"Patient referrals will continue as usual during the transition to these new services, however once this partnership is established, we envisage the services will be markedly improved.”

In a joint statement the partnership of providers said: “Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, Care UK, BMI Highfield and GP Care Services Ltd are delighted to confirm our partnership has been selected to develop and provide these innovative services.

"We are keen to work in partnership and collaborate with other healthcare organisations across the borough to deliver better care to our local population. This builds on other work we have done and we feel it is the right thing for patients.

"We welcome the support of our forward thinking commissioners who are keen to reduce duplication of services and ensure that patients receive high quality, locally based healthcare services. In doing so we aim to ensure that care for our populations remains local and accessible.”