In 2015, Dudley embarked on an ambitious journey to transform the way that health and social care services are provided locally. This website brings together lessons and insights from that journey.

The challenges faced by health and social care services are well known. In part they arise from a mismatch between the demand for care and the ability of services to meet these needs. But they also arise because services are not well configured. These issues were set out by the NHS in the ‘Five Year Forward View’ (2014).

The needs of the current and likely future population will require more integrated services. As the population ages, and as long-term conditions become more prevalent, there is a heightened need for services to work together closely. Services must integrate with each other - and with patients and families - to make care feel more ‘joined up’, to improve outcomes for people and to make best use of resources.

To help show what this type of more integrated care looks like in practice, NHS England established the New Care Models programme in 2015. The programme was delivered through 50 local ‘Vanguard’ sites. Dudley was selected as one of these sites; it set out to test the ‘Multispecialty community provider (MCP) model. Fundamentally, the MCP model was designed to provide more care outside of hospital settings and in local communities and GP practices.

The idea behind the New Care Models programme was that the 50 Vanguard sites would test new approaches, new services and new ways of working. Where these changes were shown to work, they would be adopted in other parts of the country. This process therefore relies upon good evidence (from evaluation) and proactive sharing of lessons (from Vanguard sites).

This microsite has been designed with this need in mind. It was produced by the Strategy Unit in association with Dudley’s All Together Better partnership. As the Vanguard programme ends, this site can act as a repository – ensuring that Dudley’s experience can be shared widely.

Strategy Unit, alongside its partners ICF and University of Birmingham’s Health Services Management Centre has supported the All Together Better partnership, providing research, evaluation, analysis and strategic advice. This site contains many of the products from that work, drawing together lessons and insights that ought to be of use to other wanting to learn from Dudley’s journey.

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