Review of Health and Social Care

Transforming your Care is the new five year vision of health and social care across Northern Ireland

This has come along following the document ‘Reshaping the system1 (2010, Mc Kinsey) which paved the way and looked at  the delivery of high quality, cost effective health and social care services for Northern Ireland in the coming years taking account of the likely reduced funding levels. 

‘Transforming your Care’ initially describes a financial remodeling of how money is to be spent indicating a shift of £83 million from current hospital spend and its reinvestment  into primary, community and social care services. Alongside reconfiguring the model of service delivery, key actions will be towards personalisation of care, prevention, delivering care closer to home and changes for the workforce and the role they will play in delivering outcomes. There is going to be an increasing emphasis on integrated working.

Why is Transforming your Care important?

Many occupational therapists are working in health and social care in Northern Ireland. This report outlines the proposed changes that are going to take place and this is going to affect you in how you work and deliver services, for example there will be a move towards prevention and services will move to community locations/primary care where possible.  Occupational therapists have the skills to deliver on many key areas, such as reablement.  Areas it will have implications for include: practice, management, workforce planning, education and training, and development of services.

What is COT doing about Transforming your Care?

• As well as having responded to the consultation, COT has lobbied both directly to the Review Team, meeting with John Compton who led the review and through the Allied Health Professions Federation Northern Ireland (AHPFNI) to promote the professions to the Health Minister, Edwin Poots
• COT is supporting occupational therapists in Northern Ireland by listening to them about the issues they have been raising during the process of reform such as concerns about the role of occupational therapy in acute care with the reconfiguration of services
• Lobbying on their behalf such as highlighting that occupational therapists are key to reablement throughout all Trusts in Northern Ireland
• COT is raising the profile and recognition of occupational therapists in Northern Ireland An event for occupational therapists and key stakeholders is being organized for March by the Management Forum supported by the Northern Ireland Board and COT to showcase the innovative work in Northern Ireland
• COT will continue to influence through partnership working and meeting key stakeholders to raise awareness of the important contribution of occupational therapy in Northern Ireland

What can you do about Transforming your Care?

• Make yourself aware of the review and content. A copy of the report can be accessed on www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/hscreview131211.htm 
  What implications and opportunities are there for your services?  For example it concludes that the Integrated Care Partnerships, proposed under the new model, will have a leading role to play in promoting health and well being. Specifically mentioned is the ‘support for the role of Allied Health Professionals in secondary prevention, particularly as regards older people, for example, the role of podiatry care in falls prevention, and occupational therapy in rehabilitation.’ (p.57; also see proposal 8.)
• The introduction of integrated teams within each Trust has so far had varying outcomes for occupational therapists, so it is key that occupational therapists have their voice heard to develop successful models of integrated working
• Ensure you are articulating the benefit of your intervention and services to service users, managers and other stakeholders. Are there any opportunities to get involved?  
• Identify any opportunities where COT and Kate Lesslar, the Northern Ireland Policy Officer, can help you to influence and get in contact to discuss
• Monitor developments and changes in your own organisation and take any opportunity to lobby, using the many resources available on the COT website
• Keep up to date with what is happening. The Review of Health and Social Care and other policy documents are emphasizing more care in the community. The reconfiguration of services to the community and primary care is going to have implications for occupational therapists.  
• Also keep an eye out for The Inter-Departmental Review of the Housing Adaptations Service in Northern Ireland which is expected to be completed soon. It is hoped that the recommendations proposed will provide improved access to housing adaptations regionally. Lobby to make sure service users get the services they need.
• Demonstrate evidence based and best practice at all times to show the outcomes of effective occupational therapy
• Keep up to date with developments in BJOT, OTN and on this website