Local authorities and integrated care systems (ICSs) will be required to utilise a proportion of £500 million of government discharge to assess (D2A) funding before March 2023 to support a safe and timely transition from hospital to home. So what needs to be done in order to ensure this investment pays its dividend?
This provides ample opportunities for reducing admissions or to improve flow, discharge pathways and getting more people home, regardless of system maturity around intermediate care, i.e. D2A. However, bearing in mind that we are now in the winter months, it will be difficult to make significant transformational changes before spring and summer next year.
Further government guidance detailing the distribution of the Adult Social Care Discharge Fund and governing conditions can be found on the official website. Click here to read more.
So, although the extra funding is welcomed, the challenge is how to use this money to the best advantage in such a short period of time.
With vast experience in this area, Channel 3 has been instrumental in a variety of projects across several ICSs, providing guidance in generating improved outcomes.
What are the D2A funding options?
Essentially, there are two simple and practical options to consider in how to effectively use the money:
Rapidly designing interventions that will have the greatest impact this winter and can be implemented with minimal disruption.
A longer diagnostic review to identify medium term transformational changes that can be implemented in the new financial year ready for next winter.
Read the Channel 3 quick guide to D2A funding to find out more about how these options have helped clients develop these approaches and improve patient outcomes and staff wellbeing whilst simultaneously reducing financial pressures.
Our D2A specialists
Ralph Cook
Ralph has over 20 years of consulting experience within the public sector, designing and delivering complex transformation programmes across health and social care. Ralph has helped the sector pioneer thinking in the areas of demand management, sustainable change in complex systems, behavioural science and intermediate care.
Stuart Lindsay
Stuart has over 20 years of experience within frontline services and consultancy within health and social care. He specialises in delivering whole system transformational change by embedding strength-based practice, enablers to independence such as technology-enabled care and system performance improvement.
