District to take part in £200m NHS “vanguard” initiative

The government has announced that two projects in Wakefield have been chosen as “vanguard” schemes to provide more joined up care for patients.

One scheme involves a partnership between the NHS, Wakefield Council, Age UK and others to tackle loneliness and poor care for people in care homes and supported housing schemes.

A second scheme by West Wakefield Health and Wellbeing Ltd will set up a new organisation to provide faster access to patient care.

The new multi-specialty community provider (MCP) will by run by GPs in Chapelthorpe, Horbury, Lupset, Middlestown and Ossett.

Ossett GP Chris Jones said: “We are now looking forward to working with NHS England and our partners to create a new model of care, breaking down the barriers that exist today and allowing citizens to live healthier lives for longer in their own homes.”

Initiatives which take part in the national project will be backed with a £200m fund.

It is not yet known how much of the cash will be allocated to NHS services in Wakefield.

But Jo Webster, chief executive of NHS Wakefield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said the scheme would make NHS services more accessible.

She said: “We are absolutely delighted that Wakefield has achieved double recognition for our ground breaking approach to caring for local people.”