The current fragmented services in health and social care fail to meet the needs of the population. A shift to an approach that develops integrated models of care for patients, especially older people and those with long-term conditions, can improve the patient experience and the outcomes and efficiency of care.
Making integrated care happen at scale and pace: Lessons from experience is intended to support the process of converting policy intentions into meaningful and widespread change on the ground. The authors summarise 16 steps that need to be taken to make integrated care a reality and draw on work by The King’s Fund and others to provide examples of good practice.
There are no universal solutions or approaches to integrated care that will work everywhere and there is also no ‘best way’ of integrating care, and the authors emphasise the importance of discovery rather than design and of sharing examples of good practice when developing policy and practice.
Finally, the paper acknowledges that changes are needed to national policy and to the regulatory and financial frameworks for local leaders to fully realise a vision of integration.
Summary presentation
Chris Ham, Chief Executive at The King’s Fund, highlights the 16 lessons needed to make a reality of integrated care, drawing on work by The King’s Fund and others to provide examples of good practice.