New 'Integrated Care System' for Cornwall aims to reduce waiting times and bed-blocking
It takes over from today, bringing together the NHS, council and voluntary sectors
Last updated 1st Jul 2022
Officials say a new system for the health service in Cornwall aims to reduce bed-blocking in our hospitals.
The new Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care System replaces the NHS Kernow Clinical Commissioning Group and takes over from today (Friday 1st July).
Bosses say it brings together the NHS, council and voluntary sectors under one budget.
The system has already introduced a reablement ward at Treliske, to help patients preparing to leave hospital get ready.
A virtual ward has also been created to treat patients at home, used by Pamela Gale from the St Austell area when she caught coronavirus earlier this year.
Pamela said: "During Covid, you obviously had to ring. Well now, you still get the option of ringing first and having a telephone conversation without going to the doctor, waiting for an appointment or sitting waiting for them if they're running late.
"You need your telephone, obviously, because they're calling you; they call you three times a day. You have a pulse oximeter which monitors your oxygen levels and your pulse which you then give to the nurses when they call you".
"We're still under an awful lot of pressure"
Earlier this week, we told you how the MP for Falmouth and Truro, Cherilyn Mackrory, raised the issue of waiting times in Cornwall at a debate in Parliament.
She said it was an "increasing concern" and called on the government to do all it can to help.
However those heading up the new system think our hospital waiting times will go down, so no-one waits longer than 18 months for an appointment.
Kate Shields is the Chief Executive of the Integrated Care Board. She told us: "Everybody who knows health in Cornwall will know that we're still under an awful lot of pressure.
"We have ambulances queueing at the front door of Treliske, we have 200 people every day who could be cared for somewhere else; they don't need to be in the bed that they're in.
"Where we can look after people in or near to their own homes, where we can make sure that people feel confident that if they need a hand quickly it'll be there and where we can put people in charge of their own care so they tell us what they want rather than us telling them what they're going to get, we will".
A statement on the work of Cornwall's Integrated Care System is due to be released on Friday.
In the meantime, you can read more about the new system on its dedicated website.