Locality based approach to integrated care in Tower Hamlets

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A participatory evaluation of a locality based approach to integrated care in Tower Hamlets.

• IRAS ID

  236905

• Contact name

  Mirza Lalani

• Contact email

  m.lalani@ucl.ac.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  University College London

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 9 months, 31 days

• Research summary

  Tower Hamlets Together (THT) is a multiple-speciality community provider (MCP) vanguard -a partnership of local health and social care organisations. Recent years have witnessed Tower Hamlets form the building blocks of an integrated care system characterised by collaborative working between health and social care professionals.The partnership aims;
  • Reduce the fragmentation of care services experienced by patients
  • Encourage greater partnership working
  • Promote self-care
  • Address the social determinants of health and reduces inequalities

  The evaluation will focus on assessing a locality based approach to integrated care within the four localities of Tower Hamlets, exploring the role of Local Health and Wellbeing Committees (LHWC) who are tasked with co-coordinating and improving local processes to ensure services are addressing local needs. The current transitional status of the LHWCs provides an opportune time for this formative evaluation to enable the committee to achieve their objectives by generating and mobilising knowledge and learning across the localities. Within each locality are Extended Primary Care Teams (EPCTs) that provide community nursing and therapies for patients aged over 18 with the primary aim of providing person-centred and coordinated care closer to home. Teams comprise community nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, mental health nurses, care navigators and individuals with clinical management and administration responsibility.

  The evaluation will explore the extent of partnership working within these teams and how barriers common to inter-professional working such as identity, boundaries, trust and accountability are addressed. Furthermore, the evaluation will examine the extent to which changes to governance arrangements at the THT board level impact on the locality level and how they enable or limit cultural, professional and organisational development and the implementation of services. Finally, the role of citizens in service development and redesign will be explored to establish whether the users of services in Tower Hamlets are being meaningfully engaged.

• REC name

  South Central - Hampshire A Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  17/SC/0687

• Date of REC Opinion

  4 Feb 2018

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion