Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) -  Case study

As Lead Provider the Trust needed a software solution to manage a collaborative approach to data across Dudley, Sandwell, Wolverhampton and Walsall Local Authorities.

Access Adam Continuing Healthcare (CHC) is providing the streamlined processing, real-time management, and database support with a centralised system that BCHFT needs to help innovate their mental health care provision.

Introduction

Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHFT) are Lead Provider for mental health, learning disabilities and autism across the Black Country which covers Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell and Wolverhampton. 

Access Adam Continuing Healthcare (CHC) software is designed typically to manage the full end-to-end process for all age continuing healthcare. Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has onboarded Adam CHC to innovate their mental health care provision for Section 117 aftercare – referring to Section 117 of the Mental Health Act and the act of ‘being sectioned’ previously. Citizens who have been discharged under a Section 117 can be vulnerable and are entitled to free, ongoing support, and  Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has a duty to ensure that an accurate record of citizens and that everyone receives high quality care.

Before Access Adam CHC, we faced significant challenges in centralising data. Multiple spreadsheets affected communication, led to data duplication, and reduced accuracy.

Challenges

The biggest challenge (and priority) for Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was to centralise data in one database that could be accessed by relevant member trusts; rather than the limited access of the current systems , and working on a number of spreadsheets. In some cases, it was reported that there were seven iterations of the same citizen (patient) information – which poses issues regarding duplication of information, greater risk of data protection breaches around privacy, and most importantly issues around data accuracy and the impact that any inaccuracies or errors will have on care provided.

Duplication has knock-on effects of encumbering staff with administrative tasks too, but without a proper system in place there was no alternative approach available. The same goes for communication and coordination; without the architecture behind the scenes to help the citizen processing, there were few channels to engage in to centralise the different datasets.

Speaking to Kimberley Messam, Project Manager, she told us: “Keeping spreadsheets up to date is challenging. Having a single, centralised source of truth is much better than dealing with multiple versions or separate spreadsheets for example one for Sandwell and one for Walsall."

BCHFT’s other need is to have the data easily accessible and well presented, so that they have a clear idea of which citizens are where and can map them out. A person in Manchester but formerly living in Dudley is still their Section 117 responsibility until they have been discharged from the section– but knowing that with multiple databases and versions of records is difficult and open to omissions.

Access has been a great communication, responsive partner in addressing our needs and enhancing our operations.

How Access has helped

Thanks to our existing partnership with BCHFT and their use of our Rio electronic patient records, Access Adam Continuing Healthcare (CHC) software was chosen as the preferred solution to the challenges faced as Lead Provider.

Adam CHC went live with Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in November 2023 and is now handling the citizen information the trust is required to manage. For BCHFT, this means that all information is in one place, one centralised location, so that there’s easier access for staff. This means a drastic reduction in duplication from the seven different iterations of the same spreadsheet. This means fewer opportunities for error, and also means staff now have real-time access to data and can amend said data to ensure the most accurate information.

This then allows Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust to utilise our in-built data analytics to generate insights into citizen activity, behaviour, trends, which will be used to help tailor their approach to commissioning mental health care. It also supports the financial reporting and forecasting processes, so that BCHFT can make the most of their budget, as well as quickly accounting for changes to care fees and funding provided – updating across the system at once rather than having to be communicated department by department as was the case prior.

The Adam Continuing Healthcare solution usually accommodates all age continuing care, but in this case BCHFT have altered that approach to help provide for citizens needing section 117 aftercare needs and annual reviews. This provides a big picture oversight to allow staff to see everything that has happened and is current happening with a citizen, allowing better care management and greater empowerment for the individual.

Auditing is an important part of the overarching commissioning process, both externally and internally. Adam CHC allows for role-based permissions, as well as action or activity tracking to ensure that citizen privacy is observed, and information is only accessed when required. Similarly, care providers are monitored to ensure they are providing quality care and adhering to the contractual agreement they have with BCHFT. This is crucial when considering the regular appraisals and inspections performed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), so this helps provide them with full transparency.

Already we’ve got a more centralised list of who’s on a section 117, better understanding of our provider market, and having the provider service receipting… we’ve got a much better oversight of what providers are doing because it’s linked to the NHS Spine.

Impact so far

Four months into the onboarding of Access Adam Continuing Healthcare and already Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have reported positive results. 

The trust no longer relies exclusively on email trails to find information, everything can now be found in one centralised system. The number of emails have reduced internally but more so externally regarding invoices and issues surrounding payments. 

Kimberley Messam, Project Manager, said: "If there's any query, I know exactly who to contact, and the information is readily available and centralised. For us, that's been a game changer.'" 

By having all the information available as one longitudinal record, citizen information and the commissioning of care isn’t bottlenecked when one relevant staff member is off sick or on leave. Instead, they can now streamline collaboration, and the team can ensure that queries or issues are dealt with at a much faster pace. 

Real time data has been a benefit for  Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. The information can be seen directly at the source rather than going through multiple roles. Previously, it had to pass from commissioning managers to the admin team, then to finance, and often back through the loop. Using Access Adam now frees up their time to focus on their primary responsibilities.   

With panel decisions and outcomes, BCHFT now have accurate, real-time information readily available on the system. This eliminates the need to email people or for others to ask when the last panel was held. Everything is easily accessible on the system. 

One major improvement is in BCHFT’s data quality. They can see everything about a citizen in one place, including their current provider, which is crucial for check-ins or location verification. 

Kimberley added: "Adam CHC has made it easier for us as we now have a list of providers and know exactly how much we should be getting paid." 

BCHFT can now track when a package of care is entered, who entered it, when it was paid, and see all related documentation. Previously, this information was scattered across spreadsheets. Now, they can simply check Access Adam to view the paperwork and streamline our processes. 

If someone passes away, real-time information ensures providers won't continue service, rate changes can be made instantly, and discrepancies corrected immediately. The finance department also benefits from having accurate, real-time financial data. We can apply rate changes instantly without manual updates, ensuring both finance and providers have consistent information. This system improves our quality assurance and efficiency. 

With Access Adam CHC, all of our citizen information is now consolidated in a single, accessible location, minimising duplication and reducing errors. Real-time access to data allows our staff to make informed decisions promptly, improving efficiency, and enhancing overall quality of care.