Integrated care is where different organisations work together to provide the best support for an individual, this can include but is not limited to the NHS, social workers, GP`s, physiotherapist, housing support officers, private carers and care providers and occupational therapists.

Rather than working to different support plans and not communicating with one another, integrated care aims to put the individual at the centre of their care plan, with different professionals who are involved in their care working seamlessly together to achieve the same outcomes.

The main aim of integrated care is to provide person-centred support that is joined up in its approach, so that the individual feels valued, listened to and all of their needs – physical, mental and emotional – are adhered to.

What is an integrated care organisation?

An integrated care organisation is any professional body that is involved with an individual’s integrated care plan. This could be from the NHS, a private health provider, the local council or charities. Here are some examples of individuals who may be involved in an integrated care plan:

Private carer

Social worker

Physiotherapist

GP

Charity worker

Housing support officer

Mental health worker

Occupational Therapist

What is an Integrated Care Pathway (ICP)?

An Integrated Care Pathway sets out a person's needs and care plan.

An Integrated Care Pathway (ICP) is essentially a detailed care plan that describes the individual’s physical, clinical and emotional needs, and sets out the necessary steps to take in order to care for them in the best way possible for the individual. ICPs should be easy to understand for both the professionals and the individual, allowing for any issues that need to be discussed to be dealt with at the earliest stage. What’s important about an ICP is that the timeframe given for care and therapy to take place is suitable for the individual and is something that is achievable; knowing when and where things are going to happen can alleviate lots of anxiety for the individual and their families, so having a plan in place can really help with mentally preparing and processing their care

The aim of an ICP

The aim of an ICP is to have the right professionals in place at the right time.

The aim of an ICP is to ensure the right experts are in place for the individual at the times when they need them, so that they can work together to achieve the same set of outcomes. Whether they work for the local council or NHS should make no difference; they are ultimately working collaboratively to integrate both health and social care for the same individual, putting that person’s health and well-being at the forefront of everything they do.

Why is joined up care important?

Previously, individuals who had lots of care needs described how they grew tired and frustrated with having to repeat themselves to different healthcare professionals, wanting them to have an understanding of their ongoing needs from the outset rather than catching up every time they saw them.

Joined-up care now showcases how a variety of different professionals can work together, with the individual in question at the centre, to all create a comprehensive plan to better the individual and their well-being. When any decisions are made, the multi-disciplinary team – that is, everyone involved in that person’s care, including the individual where possible – meet to decide on the next step of action. For example, if someone is being discharged from hospital after a serious injury, everyone will meet to decide on a discharge plan that incorporates their medical care, health care, social needs and mental well-being.