Proactive Care — who’s left out? Making proactive care more accessible

Some people accessing care and support are more likely to face exclusion because of equality issues or because of the nature of their difficulties. This is no different when it comes to proactive care and there’s work to be done to make sure the people who need it the most aren’t being excluded. ‍

The main groups most likely to be left out include:

• People from global majority communities.
• People from LGBTQI+ communities.
• People who communicate differently.
• People with dementia.
• Older people who need a high level of support.
• People who are not affiliated with any group or community.
• People living in temporary or unstable housing.

A case study in using proactive care to combat exclusion

Kirklees in West Yorkshire is home to a community of refugees and asylum seekers. Many of them are still traumatised by their experiences escaping human traffickers, war zones, torture or refugee camps.  

When the UK went into lockdown, GPs were concerned that his community’s heightened fears would escalate into more serious and costly mental illness. Before the pandemic, GPs had already been treating a large number of patients from this community for common complaints ranging from persistent bodily pain, acute headaches and migraines, to sleeplessness.

The pandemic heightened the fear and anxiety faced by this community. Exacerbated by language barriers, digital exclusion and an end to social activities.  

In a collaborative approach, the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership provided funding for Solace - a charity specialising in providing holistic support to refugees, who liaised with partners to support this vulnerable community.  

The impact of this proactive approach:

• Reduction in levels of distress within the refugee and asylum seeker community, from a mean score of 23 to 17.
• Increased support for the most vulnerable in the group through online therapeutic services, leading to more connected relationships with peers and the wider community.
• Increased provision of therapeutic support from two days a week to five, through partnership funding.
• Fast-tracked holistic support for the community during the pandemic, through partnerships.

Tips for making proactive care accessible to service users at risk of exclusion

These steps can decrease the risk of exclusion from social care services.  

1. Regularly review your service users’ demographics to identify the most at risk of exclusion. This might include:
   • Non-English speakers or migrant communities.
   • People with complex or multiple conditions.
   • People who are socially isolated or don’t belong to a community.
   • People with limited digital access or skills.
   • People living in temporary or unstable housing.

2. Offer alternative ways to receive proactive care - face-to-face assessments or phone check-ins for isolated individuals.

3. Train staff to recognise barriers. Your frontline staff know your service users best and can flag potential issues accessing proactive care.

4. Make proactive care accessible to non-English speakers by providing translated care plans or offering easy-read versions.

Who else is at risk of being left behind?

Another cohort at risk of being left behind is the providers who have been hit hardest by the Autumn budget. Already shelling out an additional £940 million to meet the rising National Insurance contributions for employers, the financial strain on independent social care providers is compounded by the increase in minimum wage rates.  

While a shift in care model might seem unimaginable with so much else to contend with, these care providers desperately need cost-effective and sustainable solutions to survive. Proactive care can play an instrumental role in reducing costs, improving efficiency and ensuring better health outcomes for the people accessing support. Allowing care providers to operate within tight budgets while still prioritising person-centred care delivery.

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Tips for implementing proactive care on a tight budget  

A shift to proactive care doesn’t require a big investment. Even small, low-cost changes can positively impact the lives of people accessing care and support. Over time, those small changes add up, reducing costs, improving efficiency and leading to better person-centred care delivery.  

Care providers who want to implement proactive care measures on a budget can:

1. Use a care management platform to track and prevent issues. A digital record also reduces paperwork, saves time and helps carers spot risks early and intervene before they become issues.

2. Train staff to spot warning signs - NHS free e-learning resources give carers the tools to spot health changes before they become serious, preventing emergency hospital admissions and saving health and social care thousands.  

3. Use data to predict health trends - simple data tracking can spot patterns and prevent health deterioration.

4. Introduce low-tech fall prevention - falls are a huge contributor to long-term care costs but even simple interventions like home safety assessments and encouraging service users to do simple strength exercises can decrease the risk.