Planned Care Innovation Programme

Background and context

For the purpose of the Planned Care Innovation Programme, the term planned care is defined by the Welsh Government (2021) as: “Any treatment that doesn’t happen as an emergency and usually involves a prearranged appointment.”

Pressures from the Covid-19 pandemic have added to the challenges already facing the delivery of planned care services across Wales, which include a growing treatment backlog and increasing patient waiting times. This is placing significant strain on health and care services as a whole and is likely to have detrimental effects on population health and wellbeing in the long-term, if issues remain unresolved.

This highlights the need to rebalance capacity and demand for elective services across NHS Wales, suggesting an urgent requirement for significant transformational change both in the community and across health and social care systems. This will ensure the future quality and sustainability of planned care services and support their ability to positively impact upon the health and wellbeing of people in Wales.

This urgent need for transformation across the broad spectrum of planned care and other related services in Wales is recognised in the national policy arena and is a central aspect of both the Welsh Government’s Programme for Planned Care and NHS Wales Outpatients Strategy. The need for sustainable, collaborative and transformational change across the health and social care system as a whole is also recognised in the ambitions of ‘A Healthier Wales’, the Welsh Government’s long-term plan for health and social care.

Developing innovative and sustainable ways of working within and across community, primary, secondary and tertiary care services, as well as social care, local government and the third sector, will play a significant role in supporting the ambitions of The National Programme for Planned Care, The NHS Wales Outpatients Strategy and The Welsh Government’s A Healthier Wales Strategy.

 

 

About the programme

Responding to the challenges and opportunities presented, the Planned Care Innovation Programme, developed by the Bevan Commission in partnership with the Welsh Government and wider stakeholders, aims to support the urgent transformation of planned care services at local, regional and national levels.

The Planned Care Innovation Programme will fund and support innovative projects from across the spectrum of health and social care (including the voluntary sector and community groups) in Wales to develop, apply and test new ways of working, which (and/or):

• Have potential to positively transform or impact planned care pathways in Wales;
• Aim to reduce or alleviate the demand on planned care services in Wales.

Examples of potential PCIP projects might include interventions that:

• Help to reduce the number of patients waiting longer year-on-year to be seen in secondary care.
• Ensure those with the greatest need can access the planned care services they require first, such as older people in care homes with complex health and care needs.
• Encourage clinicians to stop doing some of the procedures that are not benefitting patients, freeing up their time to focus on consistent, evidence-based practices.
• Achieve health and wellbeing with the public and professionals as equal partners through co-production.
• Reduce the demand for planned care services in primary care, community and social care settings.
• Support the transformation of patient pathways and available treatment models to improve the quality and efficiency of patient care.

Programme support

Alongside the opportunity to apply for project funding, the programme will provide successful applicants with a range of support and tools to develop their innovation projects. The programme will also provide access to a comprehensive package of knowledge and skills development opportunities, through a series of network events and workshops, based on the successful Bevan Exemplars programme model.

Additionally, participants will also be allocated a coach or mentor, who will support them throughout their journey on the Planned Care Innovation Programme.

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