The challenge

Too many people end up in hospital or residential care, and spend too much time there. We all agree that helping people remain independent at home or in their communities is best for both them and the public purse.

However, the challenge is complex. Despite years of effort, outcomes that matter for these people are still poor, yet costs are high. Covid has shone a light on the opportunity to do things better – services have undergone rapid and innovative change and we are now at an inflection point. This is a critical moment to build on where we are now to secure better outcomes costing less.

Our work is about delivering outcomes that genuinely matter – standing in the shoes of those who need enablement and support and looking at things from their perspective. What would they value, how would that be best ‘delivered’ and how do we track, monitor and learn from their experiences?

Our engagement with the health and care sector tells us that this complex problem comprises four key challenges:

• Culture and behaviour – The need to create equal value recognition across system partners, and to encourage collaboration, trust, positive risk taking and strengths-based approaches. Standing in the shoes of local people to deliver better outcomes for them – especially the frail, elderly or have one serious or multiple long-term conditions.
• Operating model – The need for support and guidance on the overall operating model and leading practice, whilst empowering local systems to innovate and create tailored and appropriate solutions.
• Workforce – The need to optimise the existing workforce, understanding the skills needed to support the blended suite of services or interventions that keep people well at home. Secure support and investment to develop skills and recognise that siloed working undermines genuine collaboration.
• Funding – The need for a long-term funding solution (including benefits realisation) and single financial governance model.

Our solution

It is within this context we have developed our Valuing Home offer.

Valuing Home focuses on breaking down the long-standing barriers to change, to improve the health and care interface and secure better outcomes that cost less. We want people to remain well, stay out of hospital and residential care – but where such care is rightly required, Valuing Home ensures they return home as quickly and safely as possible.

From day one, we work with our clients to secure the outcomes that matter:

• Securing and maintaining independence and wellbeing
• Keeping people in their homes and communities
• Getting people ‘home first’ as quickly and safely as possible
• Doing all this at lower or no cost, or creating capacity

Using the 5 Fast-Forwards set out in our EDGEWORK approach, we work with frontline staff in the NHS and social care sectors to reframe ambition and set an Inclusive Ambition. We invest time in understanding where they are now, identifying the gaps and co-developing and testing ways to achieve this ambition. Drawing on our extensive experience, we secure quick wins – both qualitative and quantitative.

Our impact

Our work to date has made a significant difference at the frontline and, critically, for people. From day one, we deliver ‘quick-wins’ and build confidence amongst teams that their interventions are making a difference.