The agreement sets out a shared commitment to deliver more care closer to home wherever appropriate in order to improve access, experience and outcomes for residents.
By bringing together LCHG’s hospital and community expertise together with the expertise of primary care networks and GP practices, the partnership will identify opportunities to design services jointly around the needs of local people rather than organisational boundaries.
This could include shifting appropriate activity from acute settings into community and primary care, reducing duplication, improving coordination and developing new models of care that respond better to local residents’ needs.
Professor Karen Dunderdale, Chief Executive of Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group, said: “This agreement is an important step forwards in how we work together across Lincolnshire. It gives us a practical framework to turn our shared ambitions into action — joining up hospital, community and primary care expertise to improve pathways, make best use of our collective resources and deliver more care closer to home where it is right for residents.
“Most importantly, it creates new opportunities to design services around the needs of people and communities, while ensuring quality, accountability and sustainability remain at the heart of every decision.”
Dr Kaval J Patel, Chief Executive, Lincolnshire PCN Alliance, said: “Primary care networks and GP practices are well placed to help shape services that are accessible, joined up and responsive to local residents’ needs. Signing this agreement builds on our existing strong relationship with LCHG and recognises the value that primary care brings as an equal partner in service design and delivery. It also gives us a shared way forwards to deliver on our collective ambition to deliver care in the most appropriate setting, closer to people’s homes and in GP practices where appropriate, enabling PCNA members to help shape pathways, develop new services and make the best use of local skills and capacity.”
A Partnership Delivery Group and Collaborative Steering Group will oversee the work. Priority opportunities will be developed through joint service design and will follow each organisation’s established governance and approval processes before implementation.