Health and Social Care Secretary visits the Jean Bishop ICC
18 August, 2022
Health and care services are working together across Yorkshire and the Humber to boost capacity in the NHS and reduce pressure on emergency departments.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay visited an integrated care centre and the site of a new hospital in the region today (Wednesday 17 August). He saw how closer integration between health and care services – coupled with new investment in NHS facilities – is helping deliver a better service for patients.
One of the initiatives transforming healthcare in the region is the Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre (ICC) in Hull, named after beloved local Jean Bishop and run by City Health Care Partnership CIC. Jean was known as the ‘Bee Lady’ and spent decades fundraising approximately £124,000 for Age UK, dressed as a bumblebee.
Jean opened the ICC in 2018, which now offers out of hospital care to tens of thousands of elderly patients in the region. The ICC’s preventative and proactive approach has helped contribute to reduced pressure on emergency departments in the region.
Among the 80+ age group, emergency department attendances in Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust have reduced 13% since 2019/20, while emergency admissions have fallen by 24% - freeing up capacity in hospitals. The service integrates a range of health and care services into one accessible place, improving both the patient experience and health outcomes.
The Secretary of State also visited the Hull KR Foundation - the official charity of Hull Kingston Rovers Rugby League Club - which aims to inspire people through sport and physical activity in order to benefit their education, health and wellbeing.
Such initiatives are key to promoting healthy lifestyles and preventing ill health, which in turn reduces demand on the NHS. Obesity, for example, costs the NHS an estimated £6.5 billion per year and is the second biggest cause of cancer. The government is committed to tackling these issues and the NHS Long Term Plan has a strong focus on the treatment and prevention of illness by supporting patients to adopt improved healthy behaviours.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:
“We need everyone across our health and care services to work together to tackle the Covid backlogs, relieve pressures on the NHS, and deliver a better service for patients – and that’s exactly what I’ve seen here in Yorkshire and the Humber.
“The Jean Bishop Integrated Care Centre delivers a joined-up approach to healthcare, providing first-class care to elderly patients in the community – this helps keep them out of hospital and thereby reduces pressure on emergency departments.
“I know Jean Bishop was a local hero in Hull, so I was humbled to open the centre’s memorial garden in her honour and to see her legacy lived out in the excellent care provided at the centre.
“We’re also taking steps to support our NHS with 40 new hospitals in England, and the planned developments in Leeds will provide a state-of-the-art acute specialist facility alongside a new home for the Leeds Children’s Hospital, providing better care for young and old alike.”
Dr Anna Folwell and Dr Dan Harman, consultant geriatricians at the Jean Bishop ICC, have been working at the Centre since it opened.
“We are deeply proud of the service we provide,” said Anna, “and we are delighted to welcome the Secretary of State at the Integrated Care Centre so he can see the work that our brilliant team are doing to improve the health of older people in our area.”
“It’s a privilege to be part of such a life-changing service,” said Dan. “Being able to provide a truly holistic assessment means that our patients leave here knowing that every aspect of their care has been reviewed and they and their families feel reassured and listened to. And each day the team know that they have made a huge difference to people’s lives.”
At the ICC, patient plans are drawn up with the collaboration of doctors, nurses, therapists, pharmacists, and social care teams – enabling these patients to live fit and independent lives at home while reducing the likelihood of a hospital trip. They also receive a medication review which reduces the adverse health effects of poly-pharmacy – receiving five or more medications.
The Health and Social Care Secretary met with staff at the centre, received an introduction to the service, and gained an insight into the patients’ journey through the ICC.
