We're delighted that the Government has published its 10 year plan for the NHS, setting a clear direction for how we can improve the health of residents.

The plan commits to making improvements in three core areas moving from: analogue to digital, hospital to community and sickness to prevention.

It is a plan to create a new model of care, fit for the future.

I was especially pleased to see the aim to shift health spending from hospital care into the community.

This is something we have been trying to do for many years so the commitment to do this over the next 3 to 4 years is very welcome.

Also, we were very proud in Derby and Derbyshire to see our local Team Up approach mentioned in the plan as an area of best practice. It is a neighbourhood model which has been successful in reducing hospital attendances and admissions.

Team Up has improved care for some of our most vulnerable patients including the housebound and frail and elderly and we will build on this to improve care further.

Ensuring patients can get access to GP appointments, dental services, hospital treatment and preventive healthcare is our aim and we intend to implement the plan to do more of this.

Plus making improvements for our workforce which is our greatest asset. The plan aims to ensure staff are better treated, more motivated and have better training and more scope to develop their careers.

As a hospital consultant by profession, I know firsthand the pressure all our staff are under and I would like to see this commitment honoured, creating a healthier environment for everyone in the NHS.

By reducing pressure on hospitals, helping people take control of their own health and moving to digital solutions where possible, we will be able to do this.

I look forward to seeing if the NHS 10 year plan can make a positive difference and I, for one, am determined that we will rise to that challenge.

We aim to celebrate and share good examples of how partners across the health and care system are working together to achieve our shared missions.

This month's newsletter includes:

• Team Up hailed as good practice in NHS 10 Year Plan
• How Pam's fall is helping improve hospital discharge 
• New research platform for Derby and Derbyshire
• GP practices in Derby and Derbyshire are easier to contact, survey results show
• Proud moments for Derby and Derbyshire at the HSJ Digital Awards
• Improving Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) services for children, young people and families across Derbyshire
• Young people supported into health and care jobs

We hope you enjoy reading about what is happening in our health and care system. If you would like to contribute an article or share your great work, please email ddicb.communications@nhs.net. 

Derby and Derbyshire's Team Up way of working has been highlighted as an example of good practice in the government's new 10 Year Plan for the NHS.

Team Up creates one team across health and social care – bringing together GP services, community care, mental health care, adult social care and the voluntary and community sector all working together with their local communities.

The single team collaborates to provide the best support possible for people, providing preventative care – anticipating health issues before they occur – and reactive/urgent care as and when required.

The 10 Year Plan references Team Up in its proposals for a new "neighbourhood health service designed around you".

It says: "Where Integrated Neighbourhood Teams have been trialled in England, they have significantly reduced hospital use. In Derby integrated teams led to 2,300 fewer Category 3 ambulance callouts and 1,400 fewer short hospital stays among the over 65 population within a year."

Team Up has also been cited by the NHS Confederation in its work to share good practice on neighbourhood working.

The people of Derby and Derbyshire contributed to the 10 Year Plan through a series of public engagement events in January and February.

More than 180 people took part in sessions to outline their hopes and priorities for the service. A summary of the engagement findings is published on the Joined Up Care Derbyshire website.

Publication of the 10 Year Plan was welcomed by NHS leaders in Derby and Derbyshire.

Read more

The third episode of our new Healthy Conversations podcast series with ICB Chair Dr Kathy McLean is now available.

The latest episode studies our local response to the third of the three core shifts we’re trying to achieve as a system: the move from sickness to prevention.

Her guests this week are: Simon Harvey, Consultant in Public Health, Derbyshire County Council, Laura French, Derby and Derbyshire ICB Population Health Management Director and Mahmud Nawaz, Chair of Chesterfield Royal Hospital and Royal Primary Care NHS Foundation Trust.

In this podcast series, Kathy is talking to people working in a range of organisations across Derby and Derbyshire from hospitals to the local authority and voluntary sector. Kathy leads discussion on the challenges and opportunities of providing healthcare, what’s already working well and how best we can work together to improve our population’s health. 

Subjects in this podcast include: joining up data for population health, how trusts can help improve population health, the importance of wider determinants of health and using the NHS app.

Kathy says: "There is great appetite for doing more in the world of prevention but we're already doing a lot, it's about maximising that now. It's about a medium-term approach – how do you ensure you do the immediate things as well as that preparation for helping people be healthier in the future. And it is a true system approach."

Listen online

Healthwatch Derbyshire is asking for people to give their further views about being discharged from hospital.

It follows an 11 month investigation into the process of being admitted and getting home from hospital.

Healthwatch Derbyshire spoke with over 100 people to learn about their experiences.

The team produced a light-hearted comic strip showing Pam’s journey. Pam had a fall, was taken to hospital – and then planned her "escape" with fellow patients, before eventually getting home to her beloved dog Fred.

Pam is fictional, but her story is based on experiences people shared with Healthwatch.

Healthwatch's investigation found:

• unclear communication and information - given in ways people couldn't always understand, or not at the right time
• delays caused by poor coordination between services
• gaps in support for carers and people with additional needs
• missed opportunities to help people stay active and independent
• services didn’t always gather feedback from all communities, which makes it harder to understand and meet different needs.

Healthwatch is recommending

• continue to invite feedback from people about their experience of staying in and going home from hospital and respond to this feedback.
• train staff to give information in person and written down, in ways that people can understand.
• use the hospital discharge information pack. Make this available both online and in person so patients, families, and carers have all the information they need.
• share the ‘Move to Improve’ leaflet with people who may be at risk of their muscles getting weaker by being still for long periods of time.
• create a trusted digital referral form in Derbyshire’s shared care record so patients, carers, and healthcare staff can make decisions together.
• regularly check that staff training is happening and working well for both staff and people in hospital.

If you’ve had a recent hospital stay or supported someone who has, share your experience with Healthwatch - Have Your Say.

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From 23 June, people living with obesity may be eligible to access tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight loss purposes in primary care settings.

This does not mean prescriptions will be provided immediately. It means primary care settings can begin discussions with patients about whether tirzepatide is the right option to improve their health through weight loss.

Please do not contact your GP if you think you are eligible as it will not be available in Derby and Derbyshire until later in the year.  

The ICB has the responsibility and will publish more information once a service has been set up explaining who can access it and how.

Access is prioritised for those with the greatest clinical need, it is for people living with obesity, in poor health with multiple obesity related conditions; as they would benefit most from the treatment.

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NHS Talking Therapies in Derbyshire is now delivered in partnership by Vita Health Group and Everyturn Mental Health.

Both organisations have provided NHS mental health support in Derbyshire for many years, but under a new contract the way Talking Therapies are delivered is changing.

Vita Health Group and Everyturn Mental Health are changing is how they work together, offering improved access, faster support, and a single front door to the service. They were appointed by NHS Derby and Derbyshire earlier this year.

Talking Therapies is a free and confidential NHS service that supports people aged 16+ years with anxiety, low mood, depression, and more.

Referrals are made through www.derby-talk.co.uk , where you find guidance for both patients and healthcare professionals.

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The Derby and Derbyshire Research network has launched a new page on Linked In. 

The research network brings together health research from across the system promoting opportunities to get involved, and celebrating the wide range of research taking place across Derby and Derbyshire. 

Their new Linked In page will showcase local projects, promote collaboration and celebrate success.

Visit the Linked In page

Michelle Arrowsmith, Deputy CEO of Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board (ICB), met people living with learning disabilities and learned about hospital passports, and how they can improve the care people receive.

Hospital passports are designed to help individuals communicate their needs, preferences, and health conditions to healthcare professionals. They play a vital role in ensuring care is personalised, respectful, and responsive to each person’s unique circumstances.

At the event, the key discussion points included: 

• The importance of hospital passports in helping individuals communicate their preferences, needs, and health conditions clearly to healthcare professionals.
• Real-life examples of how hospital passports have empowered people with learning disabilities to feel more confident and understood during medical appointments.
• How healthcare professionals use hospital passports to provide personalised and effective care.

Michelle said: “Hearing directly from people with lived experience was incredibly powerful. I learned just how valuable hospital passports can be for care providers in delivering truly person-centred care.

“It was a privilege to attend, and I left feeling inspired and reminded of the importance of listening, learning, and acting together.”

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Dr Kathy McLean, chair of the ICB, was treated to a whistle-stop bus tour of the outreach work done by Derbyshire’s sexual health team within underserved communities.

Derbyshire Community Health Services’ Sexual Health Promotion team took her on their sexual health outreach van which visits specific locations each week to carry out screening checks and prevention advice including the Bosnia Herzegovina Centre, St Peter’s Square and Milestone House in Derby.

They stopped off at the Bosnia Herzegovina Community Centre, where Dr McLean met with staff and witnessed first-hand the team’s commitment to delivering support in welcoming, community-based settings.

Over the past year, the team’s various outreach programmes, such as market stalls, relationships and sex education workshops, and rapid HIV testing have engaged more than 24,000 people across Derby and Derbyshire. Feedback shows that 95% of participants feel more confident accessing sexual health services after engaging with the outreach team.

Dr McLean also heard from the team about how the service is tailored to meet the needs of underserved communities by delivering accessible, community-based support and education.

Speaking after the visit, Dr McLean said: “I was absolutely delighted to visit the Sexual Health Promotion team and see their work first-hand. This service provides an essential role in supporting people’s health and wellbeing, particularly by reaching those who may not otherwise access care.

"Visiting the Bosnia Herzegovina Community Centre and meeting the team there gave me a deeper understanding of how embedded and trusted this service is within the community.”

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Local charity Disability Direct is offering free face to face therapy for people who are experiencing mental health challenges.

Its service is for adults who are struggling with:

• anxiety and panic – instead finding calm and managing worry
• depression and low self-esteem – instead lifting your mood and building confidence
• relationship issues – improving connection and resolving conflict
• trauma and loss – instead healing from the past and moving forward
• life changes – navigating transitions like career, relationships or health
• personal growth – understanding yourself better and making positive changes

Disability Direct's Talking Therapy service (which is separate from NHS Talking Therapies) provides individual face to face therapy for up to 12 sessions.

It has been running in Derby since February 2024 and it sees around 50 clients a week from two sites in Derby.

The service encourages self-referral and is for adults with full mental capacity. It is not restricted to people who have a disability. To find out more contact them on 01332 299449 (option 3), or email info@disabilitydirect.com. 

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GP practices in Derby and Derbyshire have been praised for making improvements to patient satisfaction with their services.

The annual GP Patient Survey results, show increases in patient ratings for “ease of contacting your practice”, by phone, website and the NHS app.

A number of measures in Derby and Derbyshire show improvement in 2025, compared to 2024:

• 76% of respondents rated their overall experience of their GP practice as “good” or “very good”, up from 74%.
• 49% of respondents rated “ease of contacting GP practice on the phone” as “easy”, or “very easy”, up from 45%. The percentage who rated it “difficult” or “very difficult” fell from 44% to 39%.
• 46% of respondents rated “ease of contacting GP practice using their website ” as “easy”, or “very easy”, up from 43%. The percentage who rated it “difficult” or “very difficult” fell from 41% to 38%.
• 45% of respondents rated “ease of contacting GP practice using the NHS app” as “easy”, or “very easy”, up from 41%. The percentage who rated it “difficult” or “very difficult” fell from 43% to 39%.

Clive Newman, director of primary care for Derby and Derbyshire, said: “We have worked together with GP practices, their partners and their staff, over the past two years to make improvements to access.

“The GP Patient Survey results tell us there is a noticeable improvement in the way people feel about contacting their GP practice.

“We are pleased with those improvements and we pay tribute to the hard work of practice staff, working together with their patients, to achieve this."

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A new service in the High Peak is fast-tracking professionals to quicker help for non-medical emergencies in a bid to reduce unnecessary 999 calls and hospital admissions.

The established Local Navigation Hub is running the new service which fast-tracks help for clinicians who find themselves with a patient with an urgent non-clinical need they cannot meet quickly.

The Hub is usually an urgent community response service which allows any health and care professional in the area to call a one-stop-shop phone number about patients needing urgent clinical care which can be delivered better at home. It led to more than 7,000 home visits in the last two years.

This new service now expands its offer to non-clinical needs.

It is run by the High Peak ‘Team Up’ team including doctors, advanced practitioners, nurses and adult social care who sit together at the Cavendish Hospital in Buxton.  Team Up, which operates across all the Derby and Derbyshire neighbourhoods, provides reactive and proactive care to people permanently or temporarily (e.g. due to illness) unable to leave their homes.

Angela Pownall, Team Up Derbyshire, Operations Manager in the High Peak, said: “Team Up in the High Peak is always aiming to adapt and grow, and this is an example of how we want to try to serve our population needs.

“We’d noticed that there were more and more examples of people ending up in hospital because there was no other pathway available for clinicians. For example, we had a homeless person who had collapsed in the street, but he did not need medical treatment. The paramedic was with him but didn’t want to leave him vulnerable with no fixed abode.

“The paramedic was able to call our number, and we fast tracked the man to a housing service and local charity groups to ensure he was safe. This also freed up the paramedic who would otherwise have been held up, had to leave a vulnerable person or admit him to hospital. So many unnecessary admissions happen because we don’t have a swift and viable alternative for clinicians but Team Up’s connection with other agencies can really help improve care for people and save the system time and money.”

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More than 2,000 people shared their views about the way fertility treatments are provided in the East Midlands through surveys, focus groups and written feedback between November 2024 and January 2025.

This feedback has now been brought together to form the East Midlands fertility policy review engagement report.

The listening exercise focused on proposals to create a single, fairer fertility policy across the East Midlands. People were asked for their views on the suggested proposals, which included eligibility criteria and number of cycles offered.

The engagement report highlights the strong feelings people have about the importance of equitable access to fertility treatment, and the emotional and financial challenges many face.

All feedback will now be reviewed by the region’s Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to help shape the policy recommendations, which are expected to be implemented from April 2026.

In the East Midlands, there are five areas that provide fertility services:

• NHS Derby and Derbyshire
• NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire
• NHS Northamptonshire
• NHS Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
• NHS Lincolnshire

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Derby and Derbyshire were proudly represented at the HSJ Digital Awards 2025, which celebrate excellence in digital innovation across the NHS.

Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust took home two national awards in the ‘Digital Organisation of the Year’, and ‘Generating Impact in Population Health Through Digital’ categories, as well as being named a finalist in the ‘Driving Prevention and Early Intervention Through Digital’ category.

Andrew Fearn, Chief Digital Officer, NHS Derby and Derbyshire ICB, and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICB, was highly commended as ‘Digital Leader of the Year’.

The Midlands Collaborative Palliative and End-of-life Care Toolkit team were also highly commended in the ‘Digital Team of the Year’ category.

 Chesterfield Royal Hospital Foundation Trust (CRH) was recognised as a finalist in the ‘Supporting Elective Recovery Through Digital’ category.

Dr Chris Clayton, Chief Executive NHS Derby and Derbyshire said: “Congratulations to Derbyshire Healthcare on their well-earned success. Their commitment to digital innovation and improving health is a credit to the whole system.

“Andrew’s recognition is also incredibly well-deserved. His vision, leadership and collaborative approach have been instrumental in driving forward digital transformation.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the team behind the Midlands Collaborative Palliative and End-of-life Care Toolkit, their work is a powerful example of how partnership and innovation can improve care for people at the most important moments in their lives.

“Congratulations as well to Chesterfield Royal Hospital, these achievements reflect the strength of our local partnerships and commitment to delivering outstanding care.

“There were some fantastic projects shortlisted, and I’m proud to see such impactful work being recognised nationally.” 

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The NHS Integrated Care Boards for Derby and Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, and Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are to form a single "cluster", they have said.

This change, which has been approved by both NHS England and Ministers, will be made as part of the cost reductions required of Integrated Care Boards.

Under the NHS 10 Year Plan Integrated Care Boards are expected to "deliver efficiency savings to become lean and agile and to cut duplication of functions with providers." 

The 10 Year Plan adds: "We will reduce the number of ICBs from 42, with existing ICBs starting to cluster and live within the running costs cap from autumn of this year."

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Derbyshire County Council and NHS Derby and Derbyshire are working together with parents, families and carers to improve services for children and young people who have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

As a partnership we're keeping people up to date through the Local Offer website – the place where information to support for children and young people is published.

Read our first newsletter:

• The story so far
• Partnership actions since the inspection
• Introducing Derbyshire SEND Improvement and Assurance Board Independent Chair Deborah Glassbrook
• Introducing 'Derbyshire Parent Carer Voice' (DPCV) - SEND parents' participation charity
• Progress and challenges

Read more

Hundreds of young people have been supported and inspired to take up a career in health and care in Derbyshire, thanks to the help given by employers, colleges and teachers.

The Future Talent, Future Heroes programme focuses on supporting those who come from under-served backgrounds and communities.

The aim is help them discover their amazing talents, think big about their future and build skills and confidence to take their next step into higher education or the world of work.

Over the 2024/25 year the programme has:

• connected with 6,467 people through career events
• led to 611 students completing virtual work experience
• provided 523 work experience placements
• trained 407 students in essential skills through workshops
• reached 745 year nine students to showcase the opportunities of apprenticeships
• trained 14 young people in the process of applying for a job
• supported 14 young people through an NHS Cadets programmed, in partnership with St John Ambulance

These projects are coordinated by Joined Up Care Derbyshire's careers team and delivered together with NHS and social care organisations.

Their work also includes the Step Into Work programme, which has recently led to 26 students completing a level 2 qualification in adult social care at Derby College.

This programme is due to be repeated over the coming months.

Read more

If you have any feedback, or questions, please email us at: ddicb.communications@nhs.net.

Disclaimer:
While every effort has been made to ensure the contents of this bulletin are accurate and up-to-date NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board do not accept any responsibility of any omission or inaccuracy as it is not deliberate. Nevertheless, we will appreciate provision of accurate information to improve our work. Where links are provided to external content, NHS Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board holds no responsibility for such content or accuracy.