Patients in Hertfordshire shouldn’t have to ‘repeat their story multiple times’

Patients will be supported to get care in Herts and Essex without having to “repeat their story multiple times”.

NHS and local authority leaders are rolling out a “no wrong door” policy in the two counties in a bid to join up different care services.

Addressing the panel, a Hertfordshire and West Essex Integrated Care Partnership (HWEICP) spokesperson said NHS, voluntary and public-sector care chiefs are due to meet in July to begin “co-producing” the strategy.

At a meeting on June 22, the spokesperson said: “It really will be about taking us back to think about some simple questions.

“What does your industry need from no wrong door?’

“‘What will enable you to make the best use of no wrong door?’

“What do I need to ask as a voluntary sector organisation to facilitate a really effective referral over to, say, the police, in a way that you don’t need to either gather significant amounts more data, or really make the people that we’re supporting repeat their story multiple times?'”

They added: “The only way we can achieve that is to make sure we’re meeting everyone’s needs in the solution creation.”

The HWEICP team hopes “no wrong door” will achieve one of the organisation’s strategic priorities – to “support our communities and places to be healthy and sustainable”.

ICPs were introduced throughout England in 2022.

The partnership comprises members from district and county councils, NHS boards and trusts, the police, voluntary organisations and Healthwatch.

“We’re breaking down the barriers that stop health and social care services from working together more closely to support people,” the ICP website reads.