Author: Lavender A
Journal: Journal of Integrated Care, 2006
Volume/pages: Vol 14(5), pp14-22

About the study
This article discusses the process of establishing the Torbay Care Trust and examines some of the key issues that needed to be addressed. Key building blocks underpinning the decision to create a Care Trust were: Torbay PCT and Council boundaries were co-terminous; there was enthusiasm right across the Council for the idea of a Care Trust; the management teams of both the PCT and the Council supported the concept of integrated care; there was a history of joint working and joint posts that already existed between the two organisations and; it was part of an overall approach to social services including children’s services and therefore gave a coherent plan.

Findings
In Torbay they found that key to their success was holding on to a clear vision at all stages of the process, the vision was to explore how integration of services could benefit the people of Torbay; the creation of the Care Trust was the vehicle for fulfilling that vision. Also important was regular communication with all their stakeholders from staff through to service users. A pilot site allowed them to try ideas and show that integration was improving services for the local population through external evaluation. The pilot site and communication supported the all-important cultural and attitude shifts that are necessary with such a large reconfiguration of service provision. Agreeing the partnership agreement took a lot of time to get right but was crucial to the ongoing success of the Care Trust. They found that the integration of support services was far more complicated than the integration of care services and had to take some pragmatic decisions regarding which support services could be integrated and which could not. Finally, they found that involving the Strategic Health Authority and CSCI at an early stage in the process was vital.

Key messages

• Formal project management and project resources are critical to the success of creating a Care Trust.
• The key building blocks as outlined in findings must be in place in order to ensure success.
• A solid partnership agreement that is agreed by both parties is worth all the time and effort it takes to do it properly.