Boost for regional learning and improvement network
A new North East and North Cumbria (NENC) Learning and Improvement Community Network has been awarded £250,000 from the Health Foundation to drive forward improvements in health, wealth and wellbeing.
The NENC Learning and Improvement Community Network brings together people with a passion for improvement, innovation and change in health and care. It aims to develop a thriving learning community in the region that connects people to aid deeper learning and innovation, whilst ensuring those people needing health and care support, through their lived experiences, are at the heart of developing change.
The Health Foundation is an independent charitable organisation working to build a healthier UK. They offer funding to those delivering health and care in the UK to help shine a light on how to make successful change happen.
Samantha Allen, chief executive, North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board said: "There has never been a more important time to drive forward improvements at pace in health and care. With some of the worst health inequalities in England in our region there is a real commitment from across our integrated care system to bring about change.
"This funding from the Health Foundation will help us to further build our network through collective learning and improvement, increase the pace of improvement, and study how much impact we are making. We are committed to ensuring people in our care see a system that is focused on their needs, feel that they are included in decisions, and their health and care needs are understood by everyone involved."
Since its launch in September 2022 there are over 500 members of the NENC Learning and Improvement Community Network. Through a co-creation approach the network has identified seven main themes as the focus of its work:
- Improving mental health support and waiting times for children and young people
- Providing the best possible leadership for health and care services
- Shifting the balance from treatment to prevention
- Sharing good ideas and innovations across the whole region
- Supporting social care services
- Supporting our staff and their wellbeing
- Ensuring safe and efficient patient transfers and discharges from hospital
Samantha added: "We have a clear ambition in the North East and North Cumbria to be the 'best at getting better.' Improvement is very much at the heart of everything we do as an integrated care system. By utilising an improvement mindset and improvement methodology to tackle our biggest challenges in health and care, it will ensure we don't give up when challenges arise and that we will adopt strategies to resolve situations and achieve success."
Laura Banks, head of improvement programmes at the Health Foundation said: “We are proud to support the development of the NENC Learning and Improvement Community Network. The region has a heritage of successful improvement work, and this initiative builds on our support to develop Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s award-winning staff and patient experience improvement programmes.
“As well as driving vital improvements to local services, this new initiative will provide invaluable insights into how regional learning and improvement approaches can be developed elsewhere in the UK. The Health Foundation is committed to supporting those aiming to improve health and care services and deliver change more successfully."
The initial 18-month funded programme will see a detailed evaluation of the new approaches and the innovations it has brought for North East and North Cumbria integrated care system.