South Warwickshire University Foundation Trust (SWFT) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with newly established Warwickshire Integrated Primary Care (W.IPC) that will see significant investment in primary care.
Warwickshire Integrated Primary Care (W.IPC) is a new organisation set up by three at scale primary care providers in the county – Primary Care Warwickshire, Rugby Health and South Warwickshire GP Federation. It is a subsidiary of Coventry & Warwickshire IPC, focused on delivering work commissioned by SWFT through the Warwickshire-wide Health and Care Programme.
Warwickshire Integrated Primary Care (IPC) will lead the development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) as part of the Neighbourhood Health Fund investment in the Warwickshire-wide Health and Care Programme overseen by SWFT. INTs will bring GPs, community services and other professionals together to provide joined-up, proactive support for people with the greatest health needs, including those living with frailty or approaching the end of life.
Warwickshire IPC’s role will be to develop a primary care at scale model for core INT functions which:
✓ Reduces unwarranted variation in outcomes and access
✓Shares best practice across neighbourhoods and partners
✓Strengthens alignment between primary care, community, acute services and wider system partners
Cristina Ramos, Chair, Warwickshire Integrated Primary Care, said:
“This MOU puts primary care on an equal footing with secondary care in developing and providing proactive, preventative health and care services that are joined-up and outcomes-focused.
“For patients this is a fantastic opportunity to ensure their care is more connected. GP teams will work even more closely with community nurses, therapists, mental health professionals, social care and voluntary organisations, helping people receive coordinated support at every stage.
“By working together in neighbourhood teams, we can identify people who would benefit from earlier support, helping them stay well and reducing the need for hospital care wherever possible.”
Warwickshire IPC will be led by Dr Cristina Ramos, Dr Norman Byrd and Jeffrey Powell. As a non-profit organisation, Warwickshire IPC will continue to invest in services delivered in Warwickshire.
Coventry & Warwickshire IPC (IPC) continues to be the lead provider for primary care at scale across Coventry & Warwickshire. The four at scale providers across the system work together to deliver high quality services and support. We work in partnership with commissioners from the NHS and wider public sector to provide services for our local communities and strengthen skills and resilience across primary care.
IPC is actively growing, having recently secured new contracts. Neighbourhood-level delivery is also developing at pace, creating opportunities for general practice and wider primary care to deliver additional services based on local needs. Creating a subsidiary organisation for Warwickshire enables IPC and its founding partners to direct resources in the right areas to meet these growing demands and enable tailored local solutions where required. IPC will continue to provide system-wide services, as well as county-wide services commissioned outside of the SWFT MOU.
