A&E High Intensity Usage Service for NHS Herefordshire & Worcestershire ICB

A contract has been awarded for a period of 2-years to The British Red Cross Society to provide a High Intensity Use Service ("Supporting You") on behalf on NHS Herefordshire & Worcestershire Integrated Care Board. The contract commenced on 28th March 2023 for a period of 2-years. The service will cover the county of Worcestershire and is a 2-year pilot, funded by Worcestershire Public Health, to provide personalised support to those accessing urgent and emergency services more frequently than expected.

The service will:

• Coach and support frequent users of urgent and emergency care services within the Worcestershire footprint, working in a de-medicalised, de-criminalised and person-centred way;
• Understand and address the unmet needs of people who access care more than expected
• Lower the stigma associated with high intensity use and create a positive culture
• Effectively connect with, listen to and coordinate support for people that frequent use A&E/WMAS in Worcestershire
• Provide a service driven by quality and demonstrate person-centred approach
• Assist other providers to identify patterns and 'causal factors' which trigger relapse behaviours in former HIU to shape future commissioning of service and/or demand/capacity planning.
• Establish connections with existing health and care services to find a new way forward for individuals, working in partnership with them
• Provide an integrated approach to supporting people with HIU of urgent and emergency services working in parallel with health and care services.

As a by-product of this person-centred work, there will also be a reduction in demand of urgent and emergency care services (including A&E, non-elective admissions, and calls to NHS 111 and 999).

Following a review of the 2-year pilot, the commissioning authority will consider appropriate options, and may consider a procurement exercise for the continuation of the service.