Bay Health and Care Partners Stakeholder Newsletter Issue 1.png

Bay Health and Care Partners Stakeholder Newsletter Issue 1

1st July 2021

Welcome to the first edition of our Bay Health and Care Partners (BHCP) newsletter where we will update you every month on the collaborative work that is taking place in Morecambe Bay’s Integrated Care Partnership and the outcomes and benefits for communities.

We would like to start by congratulating all partners for the hard work that went into the LSCTogether initiative to improve the flow throughout our services. By the end of the week, University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust (UHMBT) was one of the best performing trusts, coming fifth regionally and 15th nationally, thanks to the work of the partners during the week of focused attention.

Other highlights included partners working together on the first day of the initiative to reduce bed occupancy to 87% at Royal Lancaster Infirmary and 85% at Furness General Hospital meaning flow was easier to achieve and patient experience was improved, and our Integrated Care Communities and GPs worked closely with hospital teams who were seeking solutions for patients with complex issues. A Multi-Disciplinary Team approach was used with multi-agency input and ensured that three individuals were able to return home. Well done to our partners involved for all of your achievements.

We want to say on behalf of the BHCP board how impressed we are at how our teams across primary care, community, local authorities, our hospitals and beyond, have performed during the pandemic and the work they are progressing across the Bay to improve the health and wellbeing of our people. Our voluntary and third sector partners continue to support our communities and we were delighted to see local people who dedicate their time to worthy causes recognised as part of Volunteers’ Week and at Lancaster District CVS’ Volunteer Awards last month.

Lastly, we’re delighted to share that our transformation schemes continue to move at pace. Our Theatres Programme has developed a ‘Set for Surgery’ Patient Charter and is now developing a volunteer matching scheme. This would mean that people who are heading towards an operation, trying to improve their health or avoid an operation would be offered a ‘buddy’ to support them through their journey. You can find out more about 'Set for Surgery' at the UHMBT website here. We look forward to updating you more on the BHCP programme next month.

Dr Geoff Jolliffe and Prof Mike Thomas, Joint Chairs for BHCP

Transforming Outpatients Services animation.pngPartners transforming services

Every month we will explore a different area of our Transformation Projects. This month we are focusing on the Build a Better Bay Outpatients Transformation Programme. You can read more about how Outpatient Services are being transformed at the BHCP website here. A short animation has been created to support the project which can be watched at the BHCP YouTube channel here.

Partners engage with residents from Walney Island at the HARRI engagement vehicle.jpgListening to our communities 

We will listen to the voices of our communities and involve them in the development of services. Here we will highlight the work that is ongoing to engage with people across the Bay.

One hundred people had the opportunity to speak to health, care and community professionals recently when the HARRI (Health, Advice, Recovery, Resilience, Information) engagement vehicle visited Walney Island in Barrow. Residents took part in a survey and feedback included that they would like to see better access to their GP.

Feedback was given back to local GP practices and will form part of a plan around personalised care and co-production for an optimal ageing and health inequalities project. You can read more about HARRI’s visit to Walney Island at the BHCP website here.

Dr Alison Johnston.pngGP focus with Dr Alison Johnston

Our GPs are an important part of Bay Health Care Partners and here our GPs and primary care colleagues will have the opportunity to talk about issues and specialties that they are working on or interested in.

This month, local GP Alison Johnston talks to us about a Diabetes Awareness Prevention Programme taking place in Mid-Furness. You can read more about this initiative at the BHCP website here.

Space2Create.pngThe spotlight on...

Every month we will feature a different voluntary, community or faith sector organisation across the Bay. This time the Spotlight is on…Space2Create.

Space2Create deliver creative sessions designed to help people with serious mental health issues to build confidence, self-esteem, resilience and regain the skills of social interaction. You can read more about Space2Create under ‘Third Sector’ case studies at the BHCP website here.

David Hyde, Macmillan Volunteer (1) (1).jpegCelebrating our teams

There are a variety of roles across BHCP and other organisations we work with in the community. Here we will shine the spotlight on the people who carry out a range of roles to keep our communities healthy and supported.

David Hyde, 76, from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, has been volunteering for Macmillan Cancer Information Hub in the foyer of Furness General Hospital for two years. You can read more about why David became a volunteer for Macmillan and his top tips for getting into volunteering at our ‘Volunteers’ Week case studies’ at the BHCP website here.

Volunteers at The Choice is Yours festival Millom.pngICCs update 

Our Integrated Care Communities (ICCs) are integrated teams of health and care workers, voluntary organisations and wider community assets who work together to aim to improve physical and mental health outcomes, promote wellbeing and reduce health inequalities across an entire population.

In Millom, a four-week festival was held to give local people the opportunity to seek advice and support on their health and wellbeing. You can read more about the festival at the BHCP website here. The latest newsletters from our ICCs can be read at the BHCP website here ​​​​​​​

Top stories from our Partners

Thank you for reading our latest edition!

This newsletter is produced by the BHCP Comms and Engagement Team. If you would like to submit a story please contact Michelle Jordan, Ivan Drozdov and Karen Evans at BHCP.Communcations@mbht.nhs.uk 

You can sign up for the newsletter here or send us any feedback on it here.

You can find a PDF version of this edition of the newsletter at the 'Bay Health and Care Partners Newsletters' section of the website by clicking here.

Return to header