North West London Integrated Care Pilot wins at this year’s HSJ Awards

Photo: Key staff involved in the North West London Integrated Care Pilot pictured with Michael Portillo who presented them with their Health Service Journal Award.

The North West London Integrated Care Pilot (ICP)—in which Chelsea and Westminster is a key partner—has been recognised for its exceptional work in bringing together the care received by people aged over 75 and those with diabetes at the 30^th annual Health Service Journal Awards.

At the awards evening on Tuesday 15 November, the ICP fought off competition from a strong shortlist to pick up the top award in the ‘Managing Long Term Conditions’ category.

Amanda Pritchard, Deputy Chief Executive of Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are delighted that the excellent work done in setting up the integrated care pilot to improve the care of patients aged 75 and patients living with diabetes has been recognised. This will provide a platform for us to work with our partner organisations in the ICP to ensure that patients are seen by the most appropriate clinician at the best time in the best place, by breaking down boundaries between hospitals, GPs, community services and social care.”

Dr Andrew Steeden, local GP and Co-Director of the ICP, said: “It is great news that our exciting new project has been rewarded in this category. The pilot is working hard to improve the quality of care delivered to these groups by joining health and social care workers into local multi-disciplinary teams. These teams are then responsible for ensuring that each patient has a care plan that sets out steps for maximising the standard of the care that they receive.

“Each group of clinicians should be congratulated on all their hard work so far, their leap of faith and for working in a new way, with new partners, putting the patient where they should always be, right at the centre of care planning.”

Launched earlier this year, the North West London ICP is clinically led by GPs, hospital doctors and community care professionals. It is a partnership between local NHS organisations, local authorities and relevant charities.

Anne Rainsberry, Chief Executive of NHS North West London said: “It is a real honour and we are delighted to have won, particularly in this category because better management of long term conditions is the overall objective of the pilot.

“We have always had every confidence in this pioneering initiative as it lays down the key elements that are needed to make integrated care work including a collaborative culture in which providers work together towards common goals, patients are involved in making decisions about their own care, and there is strong clinical leadership. It’s great to have that recognised through receiving this award.”