Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and Northumberland County Council (Northumbria) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Indo UK Healthcare Pvt Ltd (IUHP) in support of the Indo UK Institute of Health programme.
The agreement between Northumbria and IUHP will see the sharing of NHS expertise as India aspires to achieve the high standards of care achieved in Northumberland. The project aims to help accelerate the development of integrated care outside hospital. It aligns with India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of delivering affordable healthcare for all.
It is thanks to a long-standing and unique collaboration between Northumberland County Council and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust that the area provides some of the best and most fully integrated care anywhere in the NHS, if not the world. The model creates a seamless experience for patients by integrating acute hospitals (including emergency services), community services and care delivered at home. The service has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission.
Dr Ajay Rajan Gupta, Managing Director and Group Chief Executive of IUHP says: “This is an important milestone in our vision to transform the health of millions of Indian citizens. Northumbria provides outstanding high-quality integrated health and social care for its residents. This is exactly the experience we need to take forward our own plans.
“We want to take the very best that the NHS has to offer across to India and there is no doubt Northumbria is the best at what it does.”
Daljit Lally, Deputy Chief Executive of Northumberland County Council, who has a formal joint role with both the council and Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, says: “We are delighted to work with IUHP and to be able to share what we have learned from the strong partnership we have developed between the NHS and social care, over many years, here in Northumberland.
“India has one of the largest populations in the world so the pressures on its healthcare system are enormous. Whilst our primary goal is to share how we have developed such a pioneering approach to delivering integrated care in Northumberland, I have no doubt that we will also learn a great deal which will benefit the NHS.”
Steve Mason, the Chief Executive of the council, welcomed the partnership, saying: “We look forward to working with the IUIH programme team in support of delivering their vision for a primary care system in India which is designed to care for more people outside of hospital in a fully integrated way.
“This partnership will provide a very solid foundation for future international work with India and other parts of the world that can learn from what we have done so well in Northumberland.”
Healthcare UK was instrumental in creating the partnership between Northumbria and IUHP. Deborah Kobewka, Managing Director of Healthcare UK also welcomed the signing of the MOU: “The NHS and social care system in Northumberland delivers superb care to hundreds of thousands of people across one of the largest and most rural areas in England. This makes it a unique fit for this venture with India.
“Northumbria has an outstanding record of excellence in fully integrated health and social care across the acute hospital, community, primary and social care settings. Better yet, they have the confidence, willingness and ability to share their experience, know-how and expertise with India and, in doing so, will be able to reinvest in their frontline services across Northumberland.”
