As promised, we have summarised some of the key points from the evening and are keen to share them with you all. There is a brief summary below, with a more detailed summary attached for the avid readers of the group, including the challenges and ways forward from these, as well as insightful comments and anecdotes raised during the event.   As the new Government tackles the immediate challenges and puts forward its 10 year NHS plan, we hope our discussion chimes with their thinking too.

We identified Five Key Areas to Focus on Moving forward:

1)      Integrating services (primarily health & social) to reduce hospital discharge delays & increase provider productivity

1.       Create shared purpose and align financial incentives between health and social providers e.g., by establishing truly shared budgets
2.       Remove duplication of care between health and social providers to improve utilisation of resources
3.     Increase productivity by cross-training staff to perform a range of tasks traditionally performed by health or social workers

2)      Tackle growing care needs by segmenting demand and allocating capacity in the most efficient way

1.     Effectively segment and prioritise patients at the first point of contact to deliver the right care, in the right place, at the right time. For example, by utilising 111 as the ‘front door’ for patients to access UEC
2.     Invest in preventative care and public health e.g. promote healthy lifestyles, create single points of access in communities
3.       Reduce unnecessary demand by educating the public on healthcare costs and exploring means-tested payments

3)      Modernise the NHS through use of technology & innovation

1.     Utilise the NHS’ scale to lead on development of clinician-designed technological advancements that meet user’s needs and are interoperable across and within systems
2.       Standardise protocols and referral guidance using technology across services & systems, to improve access and quality of care provided

4)      Address the concerns of doctors to create a clinical workforce fit for the future

1.       Implement robust support systems e.g., medical firm model with consistent consultant mentors
2.       Establish meritocratic medical training pathways e.g., junior doctor placements
3.       Engage staff in continuous dialogue to understand workforce sentiment supported by digital survey tools that provide richer insights than the once-a-year NHS staff survey

5)      Provide opportunities and training for clinicians to take on leadership roles

1.       Develop a more rigorous approach to recruiting and developing leaders & managers, e.g., tools to identify individual strengths & areas for development
2.       Provide leadership & management training for clinicians in medical school to set expectations and equip leaders
3. Create clear development pathways for doctors to lead, manage and address the problems in their services, alongside their clinical training

You can see full report here