Preventive care proves its value in social care services

2010-01-26 23:32:41

The Guardian reports on the success of 146 schemes that aimed to reduce the NHS’s elderly care costs by promoting healthier living and dealing with problems at an early stage. The Partnerships for Older People Projects (POPPS) ran across 29 English councils between 2006 and 2009 and promoted joint working between social services and healthcare professionals. A third of the projects were specifically targeted at reducing hospital admissions and shortening inpatient stays with the result that, for every £1 spent on preventive social care services, hospitals saved £1.20. The schemes helped 246,000 older people stay healthy in all kinds of ways, from installing living aids in people’s homes to opening centres that encourage active living. As well as reducing hospital admissions by 47%, the number of out-patient appointments also dropped by 11% and A&E attendance by 29%. Health secretary Andy Burnham acknowledged the success of POPPS, commenting that the schemes’ results make ‘...a powerful and persuasive argument for putting prevention first.’ Although the initial project has now closed, 97% of the POPPS schemes are still open, showing that service commissioners consider them to be viable. However, the Personal Social Services Research Unit, which implemented the schemes, has warned that a number of obstacles within the NHS would need to be overcome before a similar way of working can be rolled out across the country.