The Care Quality Commission has found significant improvements in services for older people in Oxfordshire.
CQC has published a report on progress made since a local system review of Oxfordshire that was published last year. The review looked specifically at how people move through the health and social care system, with a focus on how hospitals, community health services, GP practices, care homes and homecare agencies work together.
The original review in November 2017 found that there was a strong ambition for partner agencies to work together to provide excellent services to the people of Oxfordshire. The review found that Health and social care professionals were highly dedicated to supporting people using services, their families and carers, although engagement with the public had not always been effective. However, there was a lack of joint strategic planning to tackle some long-standing issues.
The follow up report finds that since the initial review, published in February 2018, partner agencies have worked to change the culture within their organisations and develop better relationships. This had enabled a sense of shared purpose, and a willingness to take a system based approach to resolving challenges and planning for the future.
Inspectors found solid, practical examples where improved relationships had led to better outcomes for people. For example, work had been undertaken to reduce the numbers of people who remained in hospital unnecessarily.
Although a workforce strategy had been developed, there was still a need for a system-wide approach staffing in social care and hospitals.
For people who funded their own care, the support, advice and other services remained underdeveloped, and this was recognised by local leaders. Some work had been done to improve access to information for people who fund their own care on the local authority website. However, the planned development of a brokerage service for self-funders had not yet begun.
System leaders had appointed a winter planning director and joint winter planning had taken place earlier in the year, based on a collaborative approach that included the involvement of voluntary and community sectors, as well as building on experiences from the previous year to improve system capacity. Confidence in the system had increased as a result.
Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector of Primary Care Services, said:
“Our initial review of Oxfordshire’s services found examples of shared approaches but relationships were disjointed and more work was needed to plan and deliver health and social care services for older people.
“Since that last visit, our inspectors have found system leaders had improved how they work together to co-operate, to plan and deliver health and social care services for older people in Oxfordshire - and while is it not fully developed it is showing signs of improvement.
“We found a stronger strategic approach which allowed for closer working and co-production. Carers’ representatives also felt that engagement had improved and this was demonstrated in the development of the older people’s and Health and Wellbeing Board strategies. We found that the element of partnership working had strengthened and people felt listened to by system leaders.
“This shared approach is so important. System leaders now need to ensure this strategic approach is fully embedded throughout Oxfordshire, so that all staff understand How services can and should work together better for the benefit of people in their care.”
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Our inspectors have found system leaders had improved how they work together to co-operate, to plan and deliver health and social care services for older people in Oxfordshire - and while is it not fully developed it is showing signs of improvement.
Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector of Primary Care Services