Planned care is a top priority for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP). The current acute cost is £348million and has been growing by 14 per cent over the last four years, well above the rate of population increase. National standards are not being met and backlogs are increasing. The target is to improve quality and patient experience in addition to delivering savings of £14million by 2020/21.
Action
* Planned care workstream set up with clinical and management representatives from commissioner and provider organisations, and other major players
* National and local data analysed and ophthalmology and musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions prioritised as the two highest spend areas where changes could most easily be made
* Engagement events held with wide range of stakeholders, and guest speakers from NHS England universities and other trusts
* Seven task and finish groups created, focusing on specific ophthalmology and MSK conditions
* Site visits by the groups to map current process and then use improvement techniques, such as the 5 whys, to determine why activities were not adding value and create action plans.
Impact
* Predicted to save between £1.9million and £4.4million per annum across seven pathways*
* Data sharing at a system level led to greater understanding and changes in practice
* Standard service specifications introduced
* Referrals process improved and numbers reduced
* Theatre productivity improved
* Unnecessary scanning and injections eliminated
* Commissioning around pain management improved
* Follow-ups now being carried out in the community, closer to patients’ homes.
(*the lower figure of £1.9m will be saved if NHS volumes remain constant following implementation of the new pathways. The higher figure of £4.4m illustrates the savings available if the created capacity is used to repatriate the volumes going to the private sector.)