The provider collaborative work that Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) and group partner Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) have been doing to improve patient flow has been highlighted in a new report from NHS Providers.

The report, Providers Deliver: Patient flow, presents a series of five case studies, highlighting where trusts have developed effective approaches to improve patient flow in the face of unparalleled pressures.

It also sets out the wider context behind obstacles to patient flow that cause delays. Work to address them requires a joined-up approach based on close partnerships between different types of providers.

The case study on LPT and NHFT focuses on our work on virtual wards – a service which enables patients to receive treatment at home instead of in hospital. More recently, working within our Integrated Care Systems, we have expanded our virtual wards capacity and begun developing relationships with other organisations and providers in the area.

Taking a whole-system approach, working with colleagues across the NHS, local authorities, housing and community organisations, we have increased out-of-hospital capacity, as a means to reduce average length of stay, improve patient flow and achieve better outcomes.

Results include:

  • at LPT the average length of stay for people with pneumonia has reduced from twelve to seven days; and
  • at both trusts, virtual wards and remote monitoring are associated with improved patient satisfaction, with people who use this model of care reporting they feel both safe and empowered.

You can read the full case study here.