NHS Direct - the next 5 years
In 2010, NHS Direct set out its vision and strategic objectives for a four year period.
Our vision is that NHS Direct will provide remotely delivered care that is increasingly valued by patients and the wider health and social care system.
Underpinning this are six strategic objectives:
- Raise the quality and productivity of our services
- Increase the value we create for patients, public, the NHS and social care
- Improve the culture of our organisation through a strong set of values
- Be a great place to work and an employer of choice
- Take advantage of new opportunities and plan effectively for the future
- Improve our corporate effectiveness and efficiency
At the start of 2011, we reviewed our vision and strategic objectives to ensure they are still relevant and accurate. We believe they are and so will remain our focus for the next five years.
We have developed a high level strategy to achieve our vision and objectives. We will contribute to NHS productivity and quality improvement through the delivery of clinically safe, effective, good value, multi-channel, remote care for patients by:
Creating content for NHS services provided over the phone or via the web:
Our aim is that all patients who contact us are supported to either care for themselves safely at home or to get the most appropriate healthcare from somewhere else. Our clinical assessment tools will be safe and up to date. We will develop patient decision aids to support patients in making informed decisions about medical tests or treatments. We will make our content widely available for patients and the NHS.
Being a major provider of the 111 service:
The Government is currently running pilots to trial NHS 111, the new telephone number for people who need non-emergency medical care in England. We are involved in each of these pilots and, as the 111 service is rolled out nationally, we want to be a major provider of the service.
Offering additional 111 services for patients and the NHS:
We will work to include additional services to give patients the best experience of NHS 111. With over ten years’ experience of providing remote health advice and information, we can offer a web service and health information advice, alongside the clinical knowledge and experience of our staff to complete calls in the most cost effective way, enhancing patient experience.
Leading the way in developing and providing multi-channel services for people with long-term conditions
We want to work with other NHS organisations and external partners, such as equipment manufacturers, to deliver a range of services from prevention to management of long-term conditions.
Developing and providing other services to support the NHS and social care organisations:
We will develop and deliver services that make the best use of our expertise, resources and experience to help contribute to NHS productivity and quality improvement.
Over the next couple of months, we will be asking our stakeholders for their views on our proposed strategy. If you are interested in contributing to this, please contact your Regional Director.
Related Links
NHS Direct board
Meet the Board members, read their bios and find out what is discussed at our Board meetings...
December board #1
Watch the NHS Direct board meeting for December 2010, agenda items 1-6.5. Part one of ten
