Phase 1 Common Assessment Framework Demonstrator (CAF)

Healthy outlook for Warwickshire as county is selected for groundbreaking government scheme 

People in Warwickshire are set to benefit from more efficient systems in health, social care and wider community support services, thanks to a £33 million national pilot project announced by Care Services Minister Phil Hope.

Following a rigorous selection process involving 49 potential sites, Warwickshire is one of nine public sector partnerships selected nationally to lead the way forward as a demonstrator site to develop and test better information sharing between public sector agencies to improve the support provided to citizens.

Warwickshire County Council and NHS Warwickshire submitted the winning bid to become a Phase 1 Common Assessment Framework Demonstrator (CAF) site. Warwickshire will receive £2 million of investment in the project which will begin in February 2009 and run for an initial 12 months within a three year programme. In the past, if a person had complex or long-term care and support needs they might have had to repeat their story to several different parts of the system.

Warwickshire will be working on ways to develop a more coherent and joined up response for those who use both Health and Social Care. The pilot project forms part of the Department of Health’s ‘Putting People First’ agenda which aims to give people the choice and control to commission their own care and support services. The partnership programme from Warwickshire County Council’s Adult, Health and Community Services and NHS Warwickshire will involve a range of community and acute health services, mental health trusts, housing support services and IT suppliers as well as wider partners in the voluntary and private sector.

Graeme Betts, Strategic Director for Adult, Health & Community Services at Warwickshire County Council, said:“This exciting and innovative programme builds on our commitment to give people the power to choose the best quality care and support to meet their needs. Those who currently use or may need to use health and social care services in the future will be involved in these exciting new developments.”

Paul Jennings, Chief Executive for NHS Warwickshire, said:“This is a behind the scenes project with our partners at the county council but we know our improved information sharing will lead to a better experience for those using health and social care. The programme will allow us to use people’s information more smartly but also to ensure details are shared confidentially and securely.”

Sinéad Brophy Consulting is providing the Project Management expertise for the programme. MD Sinéad Brophy said: “This is a great one-off opportunity to make a real difference to the health care and social support needs of local people, their families, carers and communities.

From day one of the project local people will be designing, prototyping and testing new approaches and innovative technology with the project team. This is not simply about sharing information between agencies but more widely putting care and support services at the centre of local sustainable communities”.

Epic Solutions, a leading provider of person centred health systems, contributed its fresh and innovative technology to the winning bid. Epic’s CEO. Richard O’Leary said: “We are delighted to be part of the successful bid and to be working with such a proactive and dynamic team. It is exciting to see the role of technology being embraced in such a positive way as a means of offering people real choice and control in relation to their individual needs.”