The Care Quality Commission has published its findings following a review of health and social care in Bracknell Forest, Berkshire.
This report is one of 20 targeted local system reviews looking specifically at how older people move through the health and social care system, with a focus on how services work together. The reviews look at how hospitals, community health services, GP practices, care homes and homecare agencies work together to provide seamless care for people aged 65 and over living in a local area.
CQC found that the health and social care system in Bracknell Forest was working effectively with an integrated approach that was having positive outcomes for older people.
Reviewers found there was a system-wide commitment to serve the people of Bracknell Forest well, and most older people living in the area received good quality health and social care services in a timely way.
There was evidence of strong strategic leadership between Bracknell Forest Council, Bracknell and Ascot Clinical Commissioning Group and providers, with a well-established, collaborative approach to designing and delivering services.
Their priorities included helping older people avoid unnecessary admissions to hospital, offering older people support to stay well, and improving the capacity of homecare agencies and care homes to manage the recruitment challenges. A shortage of skilled social care staff, and of therapists, was also affecting the numbers of patients waiting in hospital to go home.
As a result partners were working together to reduce the numbers of people remaining in hospital while they waited for their ongoing care to be arranged. Performance had improved and was better than comparator and national averages.
Professor Steve Field, chief inspector of primary care services, says: "It is clear that people living in the Bracknell Forest area benefit from a well-established and mature partnership between all those involved in planning the health and social care system in their area.
"Our review of Bracknell Forest's services - and how they work together - has found a number of positive examples of shared initiatives that support local people to maintain their health in their usual place of residence and get access to services that are tailored to their individual needs when they need them.
“Although the system is working well, the big challenges for the future include managing the shortage of care home places and prioritising the development of an integrated workforce made up of skilled and competent staff.
“I am satisfied that these challenges are already recognised by all the agencies involved, and I am confident they will continue to work together to find a solution that serves the needs of older people in the Bracknell Forest area."
