- What is Birmingham OwnHealth?
- How does Birmingham OwnHealth work?
- What disease areas are covered by Birmingham OwnHealth?
- Why are only these conditions covered?
- How successful has the service been to date?
- What are the future plans for Birmingham OwnHealth?
- Where is Birmingham OwnHealth currently available?
- Tell me a little more about the Care Managers.
- How do Care Managers work with members’ GPs and other existing local healthcare services?
- What ongoing relationships do GPs have with the Care Managers?
What is Birmingham OwnHealth?
Birmingham OwnHealth offers a personalised, structured programme of healthcare support for people in Birmingham with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke or TIA (“mini-stroke”), chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure or are over 65 and would like help with a range or health conditions. The service helps them to take better control of their own condition and stay as fit and healthy as possible.
Delivered over the telephone by a team of Care Managers – fully trained and experience health professionals employed by NHS Direct – Birmingham OwnHealth helps people to get the best from the treatment already recommended by their GP and/or healthcare professional. The Care Managers build and maintain ongoing relationships with members, providing motivation, support and knowledge.
Evidence shows that when people are encouraged to take control of their own health and helped to engage more effectively with healthcare services, their overall health, quality of life and satisfaction levels all improve.
Birmingham OwnHealth is a multi-lingual service, offering direct services in several languages, including English and Punjabi. It aims to reach across Birmingham’s diverse ethnic communities to improve health and well-being and reduce inequalities across east and north Birmingham.
Birmingham OwnHealth is the first care management programme of its kind in the UK and is delivered in partnership by NHS Birmingham East and North, NHS Direct and Pfizer Health Solutions.
How does Birmingham OwnHealth work?
People who may benefit from Birmingham OwnHealth are referred to the service and invited to join as a member by their GP or other health professional. Members will receive structured and personalised support over the telephone from their dedicated Care Manager who will help them to get the best from the treatment already agreed between that person and their GP and/or healthcare professional.
The Care Manager helps individuals to:
- better understand their own medical condition
- get the skills and knowledge and make positive lifestyle changes which can benefit their condition and overall health
- correctly follow treatment as prescribed by their GP and/or other healthcare professionals
- understand how to engage and use local NHS services more appropriately and effectively.
What disease areas are covered by Birmingham OwnHealth?
Birmingham OwnHealth currently provides support for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stroke or TIA (“mini-stroke”), chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure or for people over 65 and would like help with a range of health conditions.
Why are only these conditions covered?
For long term medical conditions like these, changes in a person’s behaviour and lifestyle (such as diet, exercise and getting regular health checks) can make a real impact on controlling their condition, slowing potential deterioration, reducing the risk of complications and helping them to stay as healthy as possible.
How successful has the service been to date?
Evaluations of the service have showed that Birmingham OwnHealth has helped people to take greater responsibility for their health and make positive changes to their health behaviours. In turn, this had a positive impact on both their clinical measures and use of other health services. The results of this evaluation showed:
- increased levels of exercise, improved diet and reduced levels of smoking in members
- improved clinical measures including reductions in cholesterol, blood pressure and HbA1C blood glucose levels (for patients with diabetes)
- potential reductions in hospital admissions, A&E visits and GP visits
- high levels of satisfaction amongst members (96% were satisfied with the quality of the Birmingham OwnHealth service).
What are the future plans for Birmingham OwnHealth?
The Birmingham OwnHealth service will be working more closely with Birmingham’s social care services, and we are looking at covering more long term conditions.
Where is Birmingham OwnHealth currently available?
Birmingham OwnHealth service is already available to people registered with most GP practices in the Acocks Green, Bordesley Green, Erdington, Hodge Hill, Kingstanding, North and South Yardley, Oscott, Shard End, Sheldon, Stechford, Stockland Green, Sutton, Tyburn and Washwood Health areas of Birmingham. Go to our GP finder to see if your GP is offering this service.
Tell me a little more about the Care Managers.
The team of Care Managers gives personalised guidance and support over the telephone, building ongoing relationships with people and providing motivation, support, skills and knowledge to help members to take actions to improve their own health.
The Care Managers build one-to-one relationships with members, calling them at agreed times, as often as needed. Members can also call their Care Manager if they need extra support or have questions about condition on those occasions when a visit to their GP is not essential.
How do Care Managers work with members’ GPs and other existing local healthcare services?
Under Birmingham OwnHealth, the relationship between the member and their GP and/or other healthcare professionals continues to have priority in identifying and agreeing the treatment each member needs. The Care Managers support and build on the professional care already provided, enhancing the relationships and improving the contact with their GP and/or other healthcare professionals. GPs and/or other healthcare professionals can also encourage members of the Birmingham OwnHealth programme to call their Care Manager for extra support and for help and advice on their condition when a visit to the GP is not essential.
What ongoing relationships do GPs have with the Care Managers?
Each Care Manager is dedicated to specific GP practices taking part in Birmingham OwnHealth. Part of the Care Manager’s role is to work closely and build relationships with the GPs and other healthcare professionals in order to ensure they can best support and complement their work and together achieve the best health outcomes for members
