Primary, community & social care Across England, primary, community & social care remains an area requiring urgent transformation. At Health Innovation KSS we work with our local integrated care systems (ICSs), GP practices and primary care networks (PCNs), local authorities and Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprises (VCSEs) to understand their priority needs and how we can help to meet these needs. We support the implementation of innovative solutions, such as exploring where automation and AI can make a safe and positive difference to both health and care staff and patients. We support organisations in taking a population health management approach to delivering care, with a particular focus on addressing health inequalities. Primary and community care Across England, patients report frustrations around waiting times, access to care, staff shortages and a perceived lack of investment. Meanwhile, staff highlight concerns over working conditions, their ability to provide good quality care and a risk of burnout. The Fuller Stocktake report reviewed how Primary Care can be best supported by Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), with the aim of ensuring primary care remains the lynchpin of community-facing healthcare while also meeting the needs of people in their local area. This includes the development of Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs) to create better collaboration and ultimately improve services. More recently, the Government has published its delivery plan for recovering access to primary care, including updates for 2024/25. The focus of this plan is to empower patients to manage their own health, implement modern access to practices, build capacity, and cut bureaucracy. Social care Social care in England covers the range of services and support that help people with the consequences of disability, frailty, and ill-health, and also associated needs that are exacerbated by poverty and social isolation. With an ageing population across Kent Surrey and Sussex, and changes in family caring availability, the need and demand for social care is rising. Supporting innovation in Social Care is an area we are developing at Health Innovation KSS. We also have our ageing well programme and work closely with NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Kent Surrey Sussex who have a strong focus on applied research in Social Work and Social Care. Children and young people’s mental health is also another example of where increased social support is needed, and at Health Innovation KSS we work with both health and care partners as part of our mental health and neurodiversity programmes. Our work Enabling primary care to utilise AI and automation AI and automation have the potential to reduce clinical workload in primary care by removing admin tasks, supporting decision-making, introducing smart triage and automating services for patients. But there are challenges to adoption including GP’s not having the time to assess which AI and automation innovations are right, and safe, for their practice. At Health Innovation KSS we are working with primary care organisations to understand the challenges, share learning and support with adoption. Supporting innovators working in primary care Our team of experienced Innovation Managers and Coordinators help innovators navigate the complexities of our health and care systems, including primary care. We offer practical advice and guidance including workshops and webinars, hold regular innovation panels, and provide signposting to support innovators to develop their innovations to meet the needs of our local systems and populations. Find out more by visiting our Innovator Hub. News and case studies Transforming Prostate Cancer Care: Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance & Medefer Partnership The Targeted Prostate Health Check (TPHC) is a new approach to efficiently identify prostate cancer earlier. TPHC has been developed... Case Study 11 Dec 2024 More New study highlights opportunities and challenges to delivering a system-wide dementia care coordinator service Dementia is one of the UK’s most significant health challenges. Currently, around 900,000 people are living with dementia in the UK, and... News 9 Dec 2024 More Evaluation Shows AI Triage System at Surrey GP Practice achieves 73% reduction in waiting times and improves patient care and practice efficiency A recent evaluation commissioned by Health Innovation KSS has revealed improvements in patient access, demand and capacity management, following the... News 14 Nov 2024 More New funding to drive knowledge mobilisation in Kent, Surrey and Sussex The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) have announced they will invest £7.8 million for Applied Research Collaborations (ARCs) to build knowledge mobilisation capacity and capability within the health and social care sector. News 2 Oct 2024 More Updated Sussex Heart Failure pathway published for primary care The Sussex Health and Care Primary Care Heart Failure Diagnostic and Treatment Pathway is a consolidation of the heart failure diagnostic and treatment pathways, and has now been updated to reflect latest guidance. News 20 Aug 2024 More Surrey Academic Health and Care Partnership launches new innovation funding round Bids are now open for the Surrey Academic Health and Care Partnership (SAHCP)’s £300,000 Innovation Funding round. The SAHCP, a... News 19 Aug 2024 More Code Meets Care: Integration of AI and automation in General Practice Health Innovation KSS's recent roundtable on AI and automation in primary care explored what primary care needs from NHSE and ICBs (the system) and innovators to optimise the use of AI and automation. News 22 Jul 2024 More Independent evaluation finds Metadvice AI is an effective tool for reducing clinician workload in UK Primary Care Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex comissioned Unity Insights, facilitated by the Office of Life Sciences commission, to evaluate the application of the Metadvice artificial intelligence (AI) precision clinical guidance tool within the Ball Tree Surgery in Lancing and Sompting PCN. News 18 Jul 2024 More NHS Insights Prioritisation Programme (NIPP): Evaluating discharge to assess pathways across Kent, Surrey and Sussex In our region, the NHS Insights Prioritisation Programme (NIPP) project evaluated the impacts, capacity, processes and barriers in Kent Surrey and Sussex’s discharge to assess pathway. Case StudyNews 30 May 2024 More Implementing the Mental Health Practitioner role in Kent & Medway Mental Health Practitioners (MHPs) are patient-facing primary care mental health specialists funded by the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) and ICB funding since April 2021. Case Study 3 May 2024 More Evaluation finds that AI-enhanced patient triage could support primary care Visiba, a company supported by Health Innovation KSS, has published an evaluation assessing the impact of using AI-enabled patient triage in the operational delivery of primary care. News 11 Mar 2024 More Implementation of Whzan Blue Box monitoring in Surrey Care Homes Health Innovation Kent Surrey Sussex (Health Innovation KSS) has supported the implementation of the Whzan Blue Box in care homes in Surrey since 2018. Case StudyNews 4 Mar 2024 More ← → Contact us If you’d like to find out more about our work in primary, community & social care or are interested in collaborating with us, get in touch. Get in touch