What is the challenge your project is going to address and how does it connect to the theme of 'How can improvement be used to reduce delays accessing health and care services'?

General Practice is under immense pressure to deliver a range of services against the backdrop of increasing demand. The design and recently commenced construction of the new St Clements Practice has provided an opportunity to re-imagine access to future general practice. The Practice has worked with Wessex AHSN, Assura Developers, our Patient Reference Group, and HIOW ICB since 2021 to consider the role of an in-practice health hub and novel health hub specialist. The novel role and associated health hub will serve to improve access to healthcare and reduce digital inequality by providing:

• An interoperable health kiosk and wall mounted tablets for recording metrics, changing personal data and undertaking pre- and post-consultation information as well as accessing relevant health information.
• Scheduled and ‘drop-in’ access for health and wellbeing advice and digital support
• Improved signposting for patient care journeys and enhanced practice efficiency
• Increased collaboration with community groups and charities.

What does your project aim to achieve?

Given the novelty of the role, we aim to pilot a Health Hub Specialist through employment, training and enacting their role in the current practice. This will help us understand what works and for whom and overcome any barriers. It will allow us to refine aims, activity and training needs and establish much needed community links. This will allow us to be optimally prepared for the role in the new practice; one of the first Practices in Hampshire and Isle of Wight to be designed and built post-pandemic.

The health hub specialist will work 5 days a week on:

1. Developing first hand experience of challenges around access and NHS navigation.
2. Offering, advertising and hosting digital training sessions for those willing but not able to be supported by digital solutions
3. Networking with NHS colleagues and community groups to develop processes and provisions for an effective health hub in the newly built Practice.

How will the project be delivered?

We will use the time during the construction phase (March 2023- June 2024) to undertake the following:

1. Establish and run a monthly working group, including Practice staff and Patient Reference Group members.
2. Finalise the new role specification and HR requirements.
3. Advertise and interview for the post.
4. Visit and learn from existing health hubs.
5. Develop governance protocols and pilot the new health kiosk.
6. Provide professional development for the health hub specialist
7. Undertake a patient engagement campaign about the new role and health hub.

The working group will include:

• Fay Johnson (Practice Manager) – Project manager. She will keep track of spend, maintain a risk and issues log and lead on project documentation.
• Matt Hammerton (GP Partner) will take the lead on clinical and information governance.
• Tania Martin (Operations Manager) will lead on HR and new role specification.
• Sian Griffiths (Social Prescriber) will lead on community collaboration.
• Patient Reference Group members will provide external advice.

How is your project going to share learning?

The working group will be the hub for receiving all intelligence and learning. The monthly working groups meetings will allow an avenue for dissemination of information. This will be in the form of a highlight report for the Q community, HIOW ICB, Winchester City Council and Community Groups including Trinity Winchester. The highlight report will detail progress on objectives, issues and risk identified and lessons learnt. We will also disseminate learning at the North and Mid Hampshire One Team meetings (local Primary, Secondary and Community healthcare collaboration).

A detailed end of project report will combine and reflect on the highlight reports. This will be shared with all stake holders. An article will be written for requested publication in a Health Science Journal.

Subsequent work following this project is an evaluation, undertaken by Wessex AHSN, September-December 2024, assessing the impact of the health hub on patient care and equity of service.