Helping Somerset ICB to achieve its vision of providing holistic, person-centred neurological rehabilitation service for people within Somerset
Challenge
Over the past decade, there have been significant reductions in the provision of neurorehabilitation services across Somerset, impacting inpatient, outpatient and community services – including both workforce and bed numbers.
It had been recognised by clinicians working across the service that there were several areas which needed improvement, including:
- a lack of strategic leadership
- the lack of a clearly defined neurorehabilitation service
- poor understanding of the entire neurorehabilitation pathway
- lack of multi-professional team integration
- known clinical and non-clinical gaps within the service
- challenges with accessing out-of-hospital support
- and increased length of stay for inpatients.
The impact of these challenges is leading to poorer clinical outcomes and inequity between neurorehabilitation and stroke rehabilitation services.
What we did
Our Cancer/Long term conditions (LTC) team provided Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) with clinical and project management expertise and developed a case for change (C4C) document to support their service reconfiguration. We helped the ICB to produce a vision for neurorehab services, understand their current service provision, be clear about the gaps, and made recommendations for improvement.
Bringing a blended mix of experience including our business intelligence and geospatial teams we built a picture of the current services using data insights and mapping. We gathered and drew upon a wide range of intelligence, and worked closely with the ICB’s own communications and engagement team. Using our clinical knowledge and project management expertise, we followed a robust best-practice approach to support them in articulating their rationale for change.
At all stages in the journey, we challenged assumptions, documented outcomes and complied with guidance to ensure we were helping the ICB to work towards achieving their vision of providing holistic, person-centred neurological rehabilitation service for people within Somerset.
Activity
Cancer and long-term conditions
Co-produced a vision and made recommendations for neurorehab services
Geospatial services
Created mapping and visual output to give context to Somerset ICB
Business Intelligence - Data-driven decision-making
Provided data insights to enable stakeholder engagement and decision-making
Outcome
Without our involvement, Somerset ICB would have struggled to find the capacity within the local system to undertake a C4C on this scale. We acted as critical friends to ensure it was undertaken in an objective and focused way, and that it was presented clearly and compellingly.
We worked closely with colleagues from within the ICB and a wide range of stakeholders, including those with lived experience. We ensured that the C4C was an accurate reflection of their current services, including the gaps and that it included the views of both staff and experts by experience.
It was essential the C4C was seen as a trustworthy document and was recognised as the single version of the truth.
A final document detailing the short-, medium, and long-term work packages was developed to support the ICB in planning the next phase of the delivery.
We delivered a high-quality, comprehensive suite of resources on time, and on budget, throughout the project. The quality and value for money, of the final C4C was recognised by the ICB and steering group.
