The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust

Vulnerable patients are continuing to benefit from the High Intensity User (HIU) project in Dudley, which is now entering its third year.

Year one saw a 33% reduction in A&E attendance and a 41% reduction in inpatient admissions saving the NHS over £492,995. Our second annual evaluation report for year two has seen a 75% reduction in A&E attendances and a 78% reduction in inpatient admissions saving the NHS over £546,540. New data has shown a 66% reduction in West Midlands Ambulance Service call outs with an additional saving of £230,193.

Delivered by the Dudley CVS Integrated Plus social prescribing team and match-funded by Dudley CCG and the Department of Health, the service offers a robust way of reducing avoidable frequent user activity to 999, A&E, and hospital admissions, freeing up front line resources to improve care for all patients and reduce costs.

The two Link Workers have continued to work in a flexible non-clinical way providing tailored support to frequent users of emergency services. The service has benefitted from being able to spot purchase groups, activities and services from our Voluntary Sector Fluid Floating Fund. So far we have been able to commission five different organisations to deliver creative activities, counselling, peer support groups, outdoor learning and housing and benefits support.

In addition to this we have been able to allocate personal health budgets up to the value of £100 per client. This has been a really positive intervention enabling Link Workers to work in a person centred way. Personal health budgets have been used to pay for transport to peer support groups which was previously a barrier and also items such as tablet computers to enable isolated clients to connect with the outside world.

A local service user said, “I needed more than a worker, I needed a friend, someone who could help me get in touch with the outside world, I felt so lonely and isolated. When I first met Kelly I had been in hospital several times, I was suicidal, and had given up, whereas now I enjoy life and am reconnected with friends.”

Another said,“This service has been extremely helpful, from the first visit from Danielle I was put at ease, she listened to me and I truly felt my issues were understood, which in turn enabled her to help me identify new avenues to explore. I am looking forward to starting my new volunteering role and giving something back”

Dudley CVS are delighted with the positive outcomes that the project is achieving. You can read the full evaluation report below:

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with long standing Dudley CVS trustee, Mary Turner, to talk about her new role as an appointed Governor supporting the continued development of The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust.

Appointed in February this year, Mary will provide a vital link between the Trust and the community, representing and reflecting the interests of local people to improve health services and patient experience for the future.

What will this mean for local people?

“We have greater freedom from central government control in the way we develop and deliver healthcare services. It means that the Trust can deliver services that meet the needs and priorities of the local population and ensure they are providing services local people want, in the way they wish to have them delivered.” Mary then told me quite simply, “It’s about giving local people a voice.”

I asked Mary to tell me more about what the role will entail.

“Part of my role will include gathering views from local people and groups to identify and gain an awareness of general health trends to feedback to the Trust. It will involve working closely with Healthwatch Dudley and Dudley CVS’s Carer Co-ordinator to build up knowledge of what’s happening in the community.”

Mary’s working life started in the nursing profession but the majority of her professional career has been in social work and community development. After realising that her real passion was to work with families rather than in hospitals, Mary worked for many years for children’s charity, Barnardos. During her time here, she seconded to complete social work training and went on to manage services for children and their families.

With a wealth of knowledge and experience gained over her long career in social work and community development, Mary will quite aptly sit on the Foundation Trusts ‘Experience and Engagement’ subgroup.

Although now officially retired, Mary still works in the borough in a voluntary capacity mainly with Home-Start Dudley, (an organisation supporting families with young children) which she has supported for over 20 years, also, Dudley’s adoption panel as well as being a school governor and working within Dudley CVS.

This all keeps Mary very busy, but like a super-hero, she still finds time for leisure activities and spending time with family, particularly her seven wonderful grandchildren! She tells me “No two days are the same!”

“I have lived, worked, volunteered, and raised four children in the Dudley Borough. I consider myself to have some knowledge and understanding of the needs and views of the people and their communities.”

After listening to Mary’s story I can see why she is the perfect person to represent Dudley CVS and local people as an appointed Governor with the Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

If you would like more information on how to get in touch with Mary about general health trends that are affecting your community, contact Dudley CVS admin@dudleycvs.org.uk