Earlier this year, the House of Lords committee on the integration of primary and community care published a call for evidence, inviting views on how primary and community services are working together to deliver more integrated care. The aim of the inquiry was to explore and consider the challenges facing the sector and any barriers preventing further integration.
In response to this, the Community Network submitted written evidence on behalf of members, reflecting some of the key barriers and enablers to integration. Siobhan Melia, chair of the Community Network, also gave oral evidence in June 2023, highlighting how integration between primary care and community providers can support admission avoidance and reduce delayed discharge.
This long-read draws together the key points from our submission, and builds on it by highlighting two case studies of good practice where community providers are working innovatively to overcome the barriers to integration.
