On 17 June we held a direction-setting, consensus-building conference about preventing emergency admissions and integrated care.
Among the highlights of a full day was the publication of a joint report from The Quality Observatory and Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network showing that almost 20% of all emergency hospital admissions are for ambulatory care conditions.
Kent, Surrey and Sussex Ambulatory Care Sensitive Emergency Admissions Analysis Report explains that more than half of these admissions are related to just a handful of conditions. Some disproportionately affect older people and others impact primarily on younger patients. It’s a reminder that preventable emergency admissions affect the whole population.
System health
Ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) hospital admission rates are a commonly used indicator of system health and sustainability. Identifying the volume of preventable emergency hospital admissions contributes to an understanding of outstanding opportunities to deliver value for money.
Co-author Kate Cheema, Head of Service, The Quality Observatory,
“The findings of the report illustrate opportunities for change across the Kent, Surrey and Sussex region, but also provide a clear understanding of where best practice is happening.
“Using this kind of analysis for learning and improvement is critical to ensuring that we continue to maintain the best of health services for Kent Surrey and Sussex citizens.”
Over 150 delegates, from industry, academia, health and social care across KSS, contributed to a day full of insight and discussion. It has seeded some exciting multi-sector collaborations to tackle this urgent issue. I’ll keep you posted through this newsletter and via our Twitter feed @KSSAHSN
The attached KSS AHSN Partnership Day Report provides a more detailed account.
Diary date 14 October
We’ll shortly be providing further details of our Industry EXPO and clinical awards conference – please hold October 14 in your diary and look out for more details coming soon!
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Research Scan latest
[Health Foundation]
Every month, hundreds of studies are published about ways to improve the quality of healthcare. The Research Scan looks at all the studies about improving quality in healthcare and highlight research that might be most helpful and interesting for the people working to improve healthcare services. It focuses on empirical studies that have the potential to support people in making a practical difference.
Read more here.
Innovations in the delivery of care for older people event
[The King’s Fund]
While living longer is a cause for celebration, it can present challenges for the health and social care system. Featuring talks by Professor Lewis Wolpert, David McCullough and John Young, our recent conference explored how local service leaders can improve older people’s care.
For further event information, please click here.
The 2014 NHS Leadership Recognition Awards – nominations are now open!
[Kent, Surrey and Sussex Leadership Collaborative]
The NHS Leadership Recognition Awards celebrate leaders at all levels and across all professions who have ultimately improved people’s health, the public’s experience of the NHS and those leaders who we are truly proud to work alongside.
Nominations are now open. For further information and details, please click here.
Going with change: allowing new models of health care to be provided for NHS patients
[Reform]
A report from the think-tank Reform explores the role of the private and third sectors in transforming health and care services.
Read more here.
Emerging clinical leaders programme
[The King’s Fund]
This programme is for emerging clinical leaders from all professional backgrounds. The challenges for leaders in the current NHS have never been greater. The demands for greater efficiency alongside unprecedented levels of change and low staff morale mean that emerging leaders will need to lead in a different way.
To find out more about the programme, please click here.