Work on a £9m Integrated Care Centre (ICC) begins this week, uniting services to provide tailored care for the elderly and combat unnecessary hospital admissions.
The ICC, which will be on the site of the former David Lister School in East Hull, will primarily treat elderly patients who have been identified by their GP as being at risk of hospital admission - a brand new approach to this area of healthcare in Hull.
Patients will be assessed, have a comprehensive integrated care plan formed and a care coordinator appointed on the same day, with physio and occupational therapists, voluntary services and third sector organisations, diabetic and other specialist services based in one place.
Emma Latimer, Chief Executive of NHS Hull Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is lead sponsor of the project, said: “This is a truly transformational approach to commissioning a new service model linked to innovative capital development.
“The Hull ICC is designed to create a shift in how health and social care services are provided in Hull. This is in line with the NHS Five Year Forward View and the Humber Coast and Vale Strategic Transformation Plan (STP) vision for out of hospital care.
“The Hull ICC will provide a timely multi-agency response to the needs of the elderly and people with long term conditions to avoid unnecessary hospital admission and co-ordinate care around individual needs.”
Following extensive public consultation and the green light from planners, the scheme has reached financial close and developer Citycare has appointed Sewell Construction and Sewell Facilities Management to build and maintain the purpose-built facility, following a detailed market test.
Charles Lewis, Independent Chair of Citycare, said partners have collaborated to develop the best value scheme for the NHS.
“I’m proud of how our partnership and team have managed to bring forward this innovative project despite the current cost challenges in the public sector,” he said.
“Together we’ve designed a flexible building to combine all services under one roof.
“The scheme is larger than originally envisaged but will still be delivered significantly under the affordability cap, with every cost challenged to ensure best value for our partners.
“The building will incorporate market-leading design and new technology to make sure we continue to deliver best value once the building is operational. This will include sensors that will monitor how the building is being used so we can support its full utilisation throughout its life.”
Due to open in 2018, the Integrated Care Centre is the first NHS development scheme to get the green light in the region since the announcement of the Humber, Coast and Vale STP vision for out of hospital care.
The project will also support partners in the city to improve health by facilitating different public services, including health services, the council and emergency services to work closely together. It will be open seven days per week.
Hull City Council has gifted the land for the ICC and separate plans for 82 bungalows on the site have also been given the green light. Both projects will support integrated working with social care, residential care homes, social housing, voluntary groups and charities.
Hull City Council Leader Councillor Steve Brady said: “It was important for the Council to see the land of the former David Lister School site put to good use for the community, which is why we were pleased to make the land available for Citycare to develop the Integrated Care Centre.
“The city must continue to evolve its care services to ensure the best possible support is given to its vulnerable residents.
“This new centre is a great step-forward in partnership working which will bring positive changes to the delivery of health and social care. I look forward to seeing the newly-built centre when it opens in 2018.”
Humberside Fire and Rescue Service (HFRS) will also be based in the ICC, with specially trained fire personnel supporting the rehabilitation and recovery of patients following a period in hospital, building on the success of the HFRS and health-led Hull FIRST Falls Response Team.
Their East Hull fire station will be relocated to the new facility at the same time.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Chris Blacksell said: I'm extremely pleased that we're able to expand our close links to our health colleagues, it's the most effective way to keep people safe and living independently.
“The on-site fire station will allow us to continue working to help prevent a wide range of emergencies, but also to respond quickly and effectively to them when we are needed.
“To share facilities with health partners makes sense on a number of levels given the current financial climate and the fact that a new home for our firefighters in East Hull is overdue.
We look forward to truly integrating service delivery by using the skills that modern Firefighters already have to help the people that will use the ICC."
Citycare is NHS Hull CCG’s estates partner. The ICC is the 14th project the public private partnership is delivering, having developed £100 million of new and improved health and wellbeing facilities on behalf of its public sector partners across Hull since 2004.
