Press Release: 2018 Lord Carter Award for Innovation

Morecambe Bay CCG win prestigious Lord Carter Award for Innovation for their deployment of system-wide patient flow

Morecambe Bay CCG were awarded the 2018 Lord Carter Award for Innovation for their deployment of Strata Pathways & patient flow platform. Across Cumbria and North Lancashire, the CCGs implemented the real-time flow software solution which allows care providers to transfer patients seamlessly from all settings of care region wide. With a projected 300,000 transitions of care per annum, the project has impressively achieved a fully integrated service with over 1000 referral pathways across acute, specialist, palliative, community, primary, care homes, social care, and Local Council, private sector nursing homes and third sector providers, such as Age UK. Critical to delivering this system was a detailed process mapping and the creation of core data sets that health and social care both agreed were necessary to safely and effectively transition patients. It removed the silos of activity across this region and enabled providers to work in real-time to ensure patients received appropriate care at the right facility; supporting their STP agenda.

The project, which initially started in 2013, took a phased approach to roll out and its key project objectives which included:

1. Deliver a more effective service to patients by improving patient flow and transition of care across health and social services in a region. This would be achieved through creation of e-referrals, a live service catalogue, workflow automation and visibility of available services.
2. Enable real-time transparency and accountability on availability of beds and services.
3. Allow clinicians to be guided to the most appropriate non acute bed/service for a patient through the use of advanced resource matching tool.

Since its launch, Morecambe Bay CCG have achieved a 90% reduction in Delayed Transfers of Care – Type A, C and D (ALC) and the region has saved over £23 per a referral, which once fully rolled out, this will equate to approximately £7M savings per annum.

In spite of its already widespread reach, Morecambe Bay CCG continues to expand the roll-out of Strata Pathways; they have recently launched the Continuing Healthcare Workflow, which provides a fast track service for patients, as well as a Continuing Healthcare Checklist, decision support tool, and digital signing functionality. Once launched, Morecambe Bay CCG is looking to achieve operational efficiencies through improved data quality, and care coordination, ensuring patients are assessed and informed of outcomes within a 44 day period.

Comments from the Lord Carter Award Judging Panel:

“A truly cross-sector collaboration which drives innovative solutions across health and social care, and out into the community. Commissioner led improvements have driven clearly improved outcomes for patients and impressive financial savings for the organisations.”

“ Great feedback from service users shows true integration.”

“Win/Win Increase in the quality of patient care with a substantial reduction in costs.”

“A good system that should be rolled out in other trusts.”

Download the press release.