We are working more closely with people to improve health and social care services in Leeds. What does this mean for you?

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1 We are working more closely with people to improve health and social care services in Leeds. What does this mean for you?

2 GPs, health workers, hospital and social care staff are working together more closely in Leeds to improve your care and support We re doing this in three ways. 1. Acting now to try and stop someone s health getting worse and prevent the need for them to go into hospital. 2. Working together and talking to each other more. We know it s frustrating when you have to keep repeating the same information to different staff. So from now on, GPs, nurses, social workers and hospital staff who support you will be working more as a team, sharing information and knowledge. If you have to go into hospital they will work together to help you get home sooner. 3. Enabling you to live your life the way you want to. When you have an ongoing health condition it can reduce your independence and stop you doing everyday things. But it doesn t always have to be that way. 4. For many people, having the right information, advice and support closer to home can help them manage symptoms while getting on with their lives. This might mean knowing what to do if symptoms get worse, rather than having to call 999. It might mean having some medical equipment or aids at home to help manage dayto-day. Or it could be about getting some support so you can do what you want when you want.

3 Getting support in my own home has made it much easier for me to manage. David has ongoing health issues including a heart condition, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Before he became ill, he was quite healthy and active, but as his condition grew worse, David found it harder to do simple things like lifting or even walking. He relied more and more on health services and had to make regular visits to hospital. My heart would start racing and my breathing just got heavier and faster, he says. I could do less and less. I d always been very independent so I found it hard to adjust. But now things have changed. My community matron has been working closely with Adult Social Care to make sure I can have some independence and control back in my life. I now have carers that come to visit me four times a day to help me with cooking and cleaning. And I ve been given machines at home that monitor the amount of air in my lungs so I can keep on top of everything. I also have a reclining chair and a bed, like the ones you have in hospital, with a tray. Life has changed, and although I ll never go back to how I used to be, it s certainly made it much easier for me to manage.

4 What changes will I see? Depending on your age, care and support needs, at some point over the next few months your GP or practice nurse may have a discussion with you about: what your health is like now, what it might be like in 12-to-18 months, and what could be done to support you to improve your health or stop it getting worse. You may also be asked if you give your permission for your health records to be shared between different health and social care professionals. This means that staff can work togther to support you better. If you re asked for your consent, there is more information you can read before you decide. Your GP or other local health professional can advise you further or you can contact us using the details on the back page. Independence means being able to choose. Michelle has a progressive neurological condition which means that she requires support with personal care and everyday activities. She uses direct payments to employ her own personal assistants. With their support she s able to keep doing the things she wants to, including going to meetings, attending the gym and visiting friends and family.

5 I was frightened I d have to go into an institution. But the occupational therapist, physiotherapists, psychologists, nurses and doctors have been working closely together with me to help me manage my condition and be self-sufficient. Having personal assistants means I m able to manage myself and do what I want when I want. With the old-school caring system there wouldn t have been this flexibility. I would have become more dependent and more in need of institutionalised care. I want people to care about my safety, but also to let me take risks. Life without risk is like no life at all. It s very important to me that I m allowed to choose where I use my energy. One day I might want to dress myself, or do my own make up, or do my hair. I only have so much energy to go round now and I want to choose how I spend it. To me, independence isn t about doing everything myself, it s about being able to choose.

6 When we work closely together patients benefit. Lynne Chambers, clinical lead for district nursing, and Anne- Marie Ward, social worker, are based at Kippax Medical Centre. This is the first of a growing number of sites in Leeds where district nurses, community matrons and social care staff now work closely together with GP practices, sharing knowledge and expertise to improve care and support. Lynne gives the example of a recent case where staff needed to react quickly to make sure someone in a local care home was safe and properly cared for. Anne-Marie and I were able to get together face-to-face to discuss the case straight away, and it made all the difference, says Lynne. We talked about the problems this person was facing; what her health issues were and what we might be able to do. That simple conversation probably saved hours of valuable time. Anne-Marie agrees: As a social worker, it s so useful being able to take advantage of the nurses knowledge about the person you re supporting. It means we don t need to ask the person as many questions so they don t feel they re being asked the same things over and over by different staff. When we all work more closely together, patients benefit from increased quality, less duplication and a much better, well-rounded service, says Lynne.

7 GPs are part of a range of services now and that s a good thing! We need to make sure everyone who should be involved is involved in a person s care and ensure the person themselves is at the heart of this. Teams are getting bigger and more diverse. GPs aren t working alone anymore they re part of a range of services, and that s a good thing. As a patient you re in a good position to know what you want. But you can only know this if you understand what s wrong with you and how much of this is under your control. We as professionals need to work together to make sure you have the right support and information to be able to manage your condition. Dr Manjit Purewal, GP and Clinical Director for Leeds North Clinical Commissioning Group Do I need to do anything? No. These changes just mean that health and social care staff are working more closely together with you to improve your care and support. How can I find out more? If you would like more information, speak to your local health professional, call Leeds Involving People on or healthandsocialcare@leeds. gov.uk

8 The organisations involved in making these changes are: Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust Leeds City Council Adult Social Care Leeds North Clinical Commissioning Group Leeds South and East Clinical Commissioning Group Leeds West Clinical Commissioning Group Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds Leeds Local Involvement Network (LINk)... working closely with people using health and social care services, their families and the voluntary sector in Leeds. Leeds City Council Communications (Adult Social Care) This publication can be provided in large print, Braille and audio: telephone If you do not speak English and need help in understanding this document, please telephone and say the name of your language. We will then put you on hold while we contact an interpreter. For health advice please call NHS Direct on For general information about adult social care, telephone customer services on or textphone