London’s integrated care systems must shift to a “blended” approach of digital and face-to-face care following the pandemic, a report has found.
Research from the Kings Fund found London’s five integrated care systems (ICSs) worked more closely to align their services and made “massive” digital gains during the pandemic.
But the challenge would be to sustain and build on this progress to deliver the best outcomes for local communities, the report found.
“As the system recovers from the pandemic, ICS leaders and others will need to support a long-term shift to a ‘blended’ model of delivery that combines the best of digital approaches with the benefits of face-to-face contact when that is most appropriate,” it states.
‘Greater collaboration’
Covid-19 created a common purpose that allowed health and care organisations across the capital to work more collaboratively, the report found.
In some cases, changes that may have taken years to achieve were able…
