NHS Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) working with York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is improving patient health and quality of life with Proactive Health Coaching, a telephone-based health management service.

The innovative AI-based nursing service from health technology company, Health Navigator, has been introduced across Vale of York to identify patients at risk of unplanned care attendances and admissions and coach them back to better health.

Evidence from a randomised controlled trial (RCT) in Vale of York undertaken by Health Navigator, has shown a 36% reduction in A&E attendances for those patients supported by health coaching compared to patients that had not received the intervention. On the strength of these local results the CCG, the first in the country to trial the approach, has already expanded the service to 1,800 patients.  Now more than 10 CCG’s across the country are following suit.

Delivered by registered nurses and healthcare professionals through weekly telephone coaching calls, the service is designed to support patients with complex conditions and empower them to take control of their health.

Dr Andrew Lee, the CCG’s Executive Director of Primary Care and Population Health said: “We know that nationally there is increasing demand for urgent and emergency care services. Some of this comes from patients with multiple and complex health conditions. Through Proactive Health Coaching, we have a tried and tested preventative strategy that simultaneously provides better care for these patients and reduces stress on A&E departments and wider health services.

 “Most importantly, we will help to support patients who receive this service to understand and manage their long-term conditions better which we’ve already seen can have a very positive impact on their quality of life.”

From the local RCT, it was found that 55% of patients recruited into the programme from York Hospital felt much more engaged with their care, whilst 84% of people reported an improved quality of life and having more confidence in managing their conditions.

Melanie Liley, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Trust is very supportive of this service and for those patients being supported it is a positive intervention to empower them to better manage their health conditions.”

The next phase will see Vale of York become the first CCG to extend this type of service into primary care to alleviate the increasing demand for GP appointments.

Joachim Werr, Health Navigator CEO, said: “Vale of York has invested in a service that, most importantly, supports patients to live healthier lives, but also has the potential for major system transformation and improvement.”

The project has been widely recognised in national digital press such as Practice Business, Digital Health and Clinical Services Journal.

For more information visit the CCG’s website: http://bit.ly/proactivehealthcoaching

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