The RCP Patient and Carer Network (PCN) has welcomed the announcement of four new Future Hospital development sites, the aims of which are to pioneer new approaches to the delivery of respiratory care, paediatric allergy care and the care of people who are frail and elderly.
Elisabeth Davies, Lay Chair of the PCN said members have been involved at every stage of the recruitment and selection of the sites, which includes North West Surrey CCG, Central & South Manchester, North West Paediatric Allergy Network and Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust.
She added:
Each site is pursuing a different approach to delivering joined-up, integrated care and we have been struck by the willingness of the teams to innovate and work differently. The four projects demonstrate the importance of putting aside professional, team and organisational boundaries in order to develop pathways of care that make sense to patients and ensure the best possible experience and outcomes.
All the development sites will be working with a patient representative based locally and a member of the PCN, and we look forward to working collaboratively with the teams. Leadership and team working are fundamental to the Future Hospital model, and patients and carers must be considered an equal part of the team too. We hope that the Future Hospital development sites will lead the way in demonstrating the value of working in partnership with patients and carers and in defining very real ways of delivering person-centred care.