Source: City of Coventry
A pioneering service that is helping people in Coventry get back to independence after being in hospital is marking its first birthday.
Since going live in June 2024, three Local Integrated Teams (LITS) made up of health and care professionals from University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) and Coventry City Council have cared for over 6000 patients.
The single integrated team support the whole urgent and emergency care pathway.
The team is based in Newfield House, Opal Centre and Tile Hill Primary Care Centre – each covering different areas of the city.
Among the patients cared for by LITS is 88-year-old Joan Foster from Holbrooks. Joan spent eight weeks in hospital after a fall in her home and lying on the floor for 10 hours.
Following discharge, an Occupational Therapist (OT) and Physio from the North LIT provided support, including sourcing equipment, in Joan’s home. Within two months Joan’s care needs were reduced to a single carer once a day.
Joan said: “Without the support, I don’t know where I’d be. They gave me the confidence to realise I can do things. I can now get into bed on my own and get to the kitchen to make a cup of tea.”
Over the year, LITs have helped 840 people to avoid an unnecessary hospital admission, fewer people with an urgent care need a long stay in a care home and over 2000 patients with support for a short while in their home, or close to where they live.
Other achievements include:
- 86 per cent fewer patients requiring a long-term bed in a care home with successful reablement and promoting independence;
- Supported over 1420 patients with therapy in or close to their homes.
Lead for One Coventry Integrated Team (OCIT), Jodie Storrow said: “LITs were trialled under the Improving Lives programme in 2024 after a diagnostic showed that older patients with an urgent health and care need were getting the wrong support. One year in, we are demonstrating that we’re receiving the right patients who are right for our service.”
She added: “What we’ve achieved in a year is truly astonishing. I would like to thank each and every member of the LITs for their compassion and dedication to working differently to deliver improved outcomes for the people of Coventry. Day in, day out, you are working as a single integrated team which is fundamentally changing the way we support people with an urgent need”.
Rae Bottrill, Service Manager in Adult Social Care said: “Health and Social Care colleagues working in an integrated way in the LITS to support people of Coventry is demonstrating fantastic outcomes for people.”
Cllr Linda Bigham, Cabinet Member for Adult Services, said: “In such a short time the new integrated teams are making a big difference. Joan’s experience is a great example of the work being done.
“Where people can be at or nearer to home, and out of hospital is crucial, and I’m delighted that the teams are helping reduce the numbers of patients needing a bed in a care home.”