Putting people and communities at the heart of all we do and focusing on the things that are most important to you will help us in supporting everyone to live happy and healthy lives from cradle to old age.
Dorset’s integrated care partnership (ICP) strategy, Working Better Together, is now available to everyone in Dorset.
The point of a strategy document is to explain where we are now, what we hope to achieve, and how we’re planning to do that. Working Better Together sets out how the NHS, councils, and other partners within our ICP will work together to make the best possible improvements in the health and wellbeing of local people. This means changing the way we work to provide the right health and care services across Dorset.
The 100 Conversations project has fed directly into the writing of the strategy, and has helped to shape the way we want to deliver health and care moving forward. Local people told us that different people have different experiences when using health and care services – differences in what access they have to services, how they feel when using the services, and the outcome those services have on their health and wellbeing. These differences lead to inequalities in health that are both unjust and costly for people and communities.
In this strategy we present the main things that people in Dorset have told us affect them, both good and bad. Where things aren’t working, we will look at what we can do to make things fair for everyone.
Jenni Douglas-Todd, Interim Chair of Dorset ICP, said: “Integrated care systems are all about improving outcomes and tackling inequalities. I’m excited by the opportunity working as a single system brings.
“The feedback and stories of people in Dorset have been essential in the creation of this strategy. Their insight has really helped us to pinpoint the priorities for Dorset, and we look forward to continuing to work with local people as we shape the future of health and care across the county.
“Only by working together and listening to local people will we make the changes we need to, and this document is an exciting first step.”
We want as many people as possible to see our strategy and feel informed about the work we’re doing. The document is available as a downloadable PDF, a website and in easy read format, with a plan to produce print copies in the near future.
