Air ambulance’s charity campaign London’s Air Ambulance is hoping to raise £4.4 million to acquire and sustain a second helicopter for London and extend its daylight flying hours for five years. To donate, go to... www.yourhelicopter.london Tower Hamlets to pioneer health and social care deal BY JESSICA ODUBAYO TOWER Hamlets is among the first to blend health and social care funding for individuals, allowing them to take control of how it is used. The first wave of the Integrated Personalised Commissioning (IPC) programme went live on April 1, providing around 10,000 people who have complex needs with greater power to decide how their combined health and social care budget is spent. Four groups –older people with longterm conditions, disabled children, people with learning disabilities and those with serious mental illness – will have control of their budget according to a plan agreed with their care team. As part of this, voluntary organisations will help patients with personal care planning and advocacy. Last summer, local partnerships of NHS bodies, councils and voluntary organisations were invited to transform the care of the most vulnerable. After a rigorous shortlisting and interview process, eight demonstrator sites were selected for the first wave. By March 2017, partners in Tower Hamlets want personal health budgets to include people with long-term conditions, particularly adults and children with complex health needs including significant mental health problems; and people eligible for jointly-funded continuing healthcare, for whom providing a seamless service linked to the local authority is important. Jane Milligan, chief officer at NHS Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: “This is extremely good news. Integrated care enables people in Tower Hamlets to live well for longer, enabling access to treatment more quickly so people can lead more socially active, independent lives while reducing the cost to the NHS through fewer admissions to hospital.” Robert McCulloch-Graham, director of education social care and wellbeing at the council, said: “It is fantastic news to be recognised as a pioneer for this project; integrating a one-stop shop approach has made it easier for patients to receive a single assessment that covers all aspects of healthcare.” Increased health risk More than eight out of ten cases of ovarian cancer occur in women over the age of 50. www.nhs.uk/conditions/cancer-of-the-ovary Health news TWO short videos have been produced to show how integrating health and social care and sharing information is supporting residents. Integrated care is part of a five-year plan launched last year by Tower Hamlets Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to transform services. As well as enabling them to live well for longer, residents stay out of hospital and can access treatment when and where they need it. The scheme is explained in the videos which focus on fictional east London couple Govinda and Ayehsa Patel. Govinda’s health has recently deteriorated and he suffers from bronchitis and has developed diabetes. Before the integrated service, different providers managed Govinda’s health and social care, which meant frequently explaining his health to numerous people and long journeys to receive care. The changing practices mean providers will now work together to make sure that Govinda has all of his needs met in a way that works for him. For more information about integrated care and to view the videos, visit www.towerhamletsccg.nhs.uk News in brief Advice on spotting the signs of ovarian cancer WOMEN are being advised to get to know their bodies and recognise the symptoms of ovarian cancer. It affects nearly 7,000 UK women each year but only three per cent are confident in spotting any symptoms. In Tower Hamlets, it is estimated that 44 women were diagnosed with ovarian cancer between 2010 and 2012. Early symptoms include persistent bloating, pain in the pelvis and lower stomach, and difficulty eating. Sir Sam Everington, GP and chair of NHS Tower Hamlets CCG, said: “People will recognise a change in their bodies. If you notice something out of the ordinary, or think that you might be experiencing any of the symptoms associated with ovarian cancer, you should make an appointment to speak with your local GP.” In ovarian cancer, cells in the ovary change and grow abnormally. If it is not identified at an early stage, it can spread to nearby areas, including parts of the reproductive system. There are no guaranteed ways to prevent ovarian cancer, but maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle may help lower the risk of developing the disease. Dr Somen Banerjee, director of public health at the council, added: “If a woman has had two or more close relatives who have developed ovarian or breast cancer, they may be at higher risk of developing the condition. “Be aware of the symptoms and see your GP promptly if you have any concerns. You’re not wasting anyone’s time by getting a symptom checked out.” Barts chief steps down THE chairman of Barts Health NHS Trust has stepped down. Sir Stephen O’Brien lead the trust board for three years, prior to which he was chairman of Barts and the London NHS Trust and chaired Tower Hamlets Primary Care Trust (PCT). Sir Stephen, who has lived and worked in east London for 25 years, was instrumental in the creation of Barts Health and said that now was the right time to hand over to a successor. He plans to focus on his other interests, particularly in mental health. Sir Stephen said: “I am proud to have worked closely with so many inspirational and passionate people who are deeply committed to tackling the healthcare needs of east London and changing lives for the better.” A FORMER patient joined fellow charity workers to hand over a £5,000 donation to London’s Air Ambulance. Runu Miah is a volunteer with the boroughbased international relief charity Human Aid UK and wanted to raise money for the air ambulance’s trauma team which saved his life. Mr Miah was riding his moped in Haringey, north London in 2009 when a car collided with him, leaving him fighting for his life. “I was slightly conscious and I could hear the paramedics and the doctor from London’s Air Ambulance talking,” he recalled. “It took about 15 minutes to arrive at the London Hospital, where blood was ready for transfusion as soon as we touched down. “I wanted to do my bit for the local community and give back what I can to London’s Air Ambulance by running a campaign through a charity such as Human Aid UK.” He thanked the emergency helicopter service for saving his life and stressed the importance of supporting the charity. For more details, visit yourhelicopter.london 10 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 6 – 12 APRIL 2015
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