UHUK Showcase Event

The showcase demonstrated the innovative ways in which urgent healthcare social enterprise providers are responding swiftly and flexibly to changing NHS and patient needs. They are pushing boundaries and harnessing new technology to co-design and deliver high-quality, patient-centred services that are delivering tangible improvements in productivity and patient experiences.

The aim of the event was to share best practice among providers, as well as to highlight to commissioners and policymakers the very real difference that UHUK’s members are making in the community. The impact of various projects included increasing GP capacity by freeing up appointments through improved booking systems or e-triage, minimising hospital admissions by improving partnership working to provide wrap-around care for people suffering with frailty, integrating access to health care to improve the patient experience by developing a system where the patient only needs to tell their story once. Other initiatives included home monitoring, remote wards, mobile health services on buses and homeless health services.

Conor Burke, UHUK Chief Executive, said: “This is the first showcase event we have held following our awards. The event was well received, and attendees appreciated the opportunity to hear about what is being done by their peers in other areas, and to share best practice, learn from each other, and work together on common issues. Award winners and those shortlisted for awards were able to explain the impact of their work in inspiring and thought-provoking ways.

“The event has also enabled UHUK to demonstrate the vital role its members play. Their work shows just what can be achieved when barriers to integration between community providers, primary care and social care are removed and when brave decisions to use new technology are taken. They have shown that risk can be lowered, outcomes improved and pressure on the integrated care system reduced. Most importantly of all, they have evidenced that patients are showing more confidence in the system and are receiving the care they need in a way that supports them and their families or carers. Our members also demonstrated their ability to respond in an agile way to new or emerging issues.”

Read the award submissions here.