Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2019_Joomag | Page 12

NEWS ANALYSIS
Personalised care threaded through NHS England 10-year plan
Personalised care will be a key focus for the NHS England under the new NHS Long-
Term Plan published by NHS bosses.
More tailored care, such as a massive increase in social prescribing and better use of
personal budgets, are both on the cards for the service in the next 10 years.
Together with a switch towards primary and community services and more funding for
preventative work, the NHS estimates it could save 500,000 lives in the next decade.
Julia Scott, RCOT chief executive, welcomed the plan as a ‘sound roadmap for the
future of healthcare in England’.
She added: ‘It is reassuring to see the overall direction of the plan, and themes within
it, reflect many of the key recommendations the Royal College has been making in recent
years – supporting people at home, a focus on prevention, greater integration and use of
primary care, and achieving parity of esteem for mental health.
‘This places the profession in a key role to help deliver the plan’s vision for the NHS.
‘Primary care, community health, prevention, technology and areas such as mental
health and learning disabilities are areas where occupational therapists can make a real
difference to people’s lives.
‘The plan therefore sits comfortably with the Royal College’s direction of travel for the
occupational therapy profession. We are confident that our members can develop, lead
and deliver cost-effective services to achieve it.’
Long-Term
Plan
Long-Term
Plan
The NHS Long Term Plan
Long-Term
Plan
Long-Term
Plan
#NHSLongTermPlan
www.longtermplan.nhs.uk
Key long-term plan points for occupational therapists
Refocusing on the community
£4.5 billion will be spent on primary and community care, and key
to them will be primary care networks – GP practices working
together – which will look at population health. From next year they
will look at which people to target with proactive support through
bigger multidisciplinary teams. The Better Care Fund will also be
reviewed, and integration remains a watchword throughout the plan
to bring health and social care closer together.
RCOT’s action: Occupational therapists are already working
in primary care and proactive care teams; RCOT is continuing
to promote the role of occupational therapy in primary care,
particularly working with frail older people, people with mental
issues and supporting people to remain in employment.
Social prescriptions for 900,000
The theme of personalised care runs through the long-term
plan, and the clearest example is around social prescribing.
1,000 link workers will be employed by 2021 to help deliver
social prescribing to 900,000 people by 2024. There is more
on personalised care, including how occupational therapists
are already working on social prescribing, on page 14. There is
also more funding for prevention programmes including ways to
reduce obesity and smoking. The government will publish a green
paper on prevention later this year.
RCOT’s action: RCOT is encouraging members to position
themselves as experts within their organisations and use their
skills and knowledge to drive forward this welcome investment for
the benefit of our society.
Reducing A&E pressures
The need to reduce pressure on A&E departments is again a focus
– something that evidence shows occupational therapists play
a key role in with, particularly on discharge. So-called same-day
emergency care will be introduced at all major departments, so up

LIVES ESTIMATED TO BE SAVED BY LONG-TERM PLAN CHANGES
12 OTnews February 2019