Jackie Booth, the programme’s Senior Project Manager who was part of the Lincolnshire project team, said: “NHS Lincolnshire has been very supportive in ensuring that all services which were established as part of the Delivering Choice Programme are commissioned and maintained.
“It is essential that these service improvements continue to enhance choice and care for patients, their families and carers in the long term.”
NHS Lincolnshire is currently funding existing services from the programme, including:
- The Rapid Response Team, which was available in east Lincolnshire, from 3pm to 7:15am daily. This service is now available county-wide, and will be operating 24-hours on weekends and bank holidays.
- The Palliative Care Coordination Centre, with plans to extend its current operating hours.
- The Discharge Community Link Nurses in Lincoln County Hospital and Boston Pilgrim Hospital. A third discharge nurse will be employed for Grantham Hospital next year.
- The Carers’ Support Groups, led and facilitated by St Barnabas Hospice. The hospice will continue running these groups.
A new Workforce Development Department within the PCT, which is taking forward palliative care education and training for professionals, has also been successfully established.
Lincolnshire PCT has been working in partnership with the Delivering Choice Programme team to determine the current and future specifications for each service.
As the PCT has now obtained the requisite support from the NHS Procurement Team, service providers in Lincolnshire, including Marie Curie Cancer Care, will be able to submit a bid to manage the Rapid Response Team and coordination centre from April 2009.
Project updates:
Marie Curie Cancer Care wins tender for Rapid Response Team.
The Lincolnshire poject has been handed over to the NHS.
The King's Fund have reported on the Lincolnshire project.
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