Successful case management models are now embedded into community practice in the United Kingdom (UK). Unlike the United States (US), however, hospital case managers are a scarce commodity. This presentation will introduce an example of health system reform within one innovative hospital setting (Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust) which has developed a case management model to improve patient flow through the system, and to provide an evidence base for sustainability of new ways of practice.

The presentation will show how case managers, working as change agents in a new and evolving field of case management work, find themselves at the challenging forefront of health system redesign. It will explore Department of Health (DH) targets.  For example: the 18-week-wait target; and show how the work of the case managers is having a direct impact on the achievement of these targets while, at the same time, maintaining focus on improving coordination of patient care. The presentation will aim to demonstrate how the hospital case manager role is integral to positive collaboration between multi-disciplinary teams; and, by successful partnership working, show how the patient pathway is improved, ensuring the best possible outcome for the patient.

Since 1992, offering patients greater choice has become a central feature of the UK Government’s modernization agenda for health and social care. This presentation aims to show examples of various checklists, protocols, and manuals developed by different organizations. From this work, joint policies have been developed, which identify the changes needed to improve existing working arrangements. Through the process of change management, case managers in the UK hospital setting are in an ideal position to lead the implementation of these good practice guidelines particularly relating to discharge planning. The presentation will explore how the emerging “Hub and Spoke” model in the hospital environment with the case management team as the “Hub,” places them in a leading position for the redesign of services, and how the work of the Department of Health and the NHS Institute is supporting them to develop the process.