H4All CIC

H4All is a pioneering CIC that provides an innovative wellbeing service funded by the Hillingdon Clinical Commissioning Group. Embracing the principles of the social prescribing model, H4All is delivering a truly holistic patient-centered service, using Crossdata to record referrals, manage its caseload and link with partner charities' record systems. After just 12 months the project has proved a resounding success, with unnecessary contact rates at A&E, outpatients, and GP surgeries down by an average of just under 40%.

Wellbeing Service

The H4All Wellbeing Service was commissioned by Hillingdon CCG in April 2016. H4All are contracted to provide a free Health & Wellbeing service for the Hillingdon residents aged 65 and over who need support to better manage long term health conditions, frailty, and social isolation. The service aims to improve the health and wellbeing of the over 65's in Hillingdon, achieving better health outcomes, increased patient safety and improved patient experience.

There is also a strong economic rationale behind the creation of the service. The Wellbeing team aim to reduce unnecessary pressures on local GP services and to reduce unplanned care admissions and A&E visits by directing people to appropriate support at an early stage. The service encourages patients to make informed decisions about their own health and to engage in healthier behaviour.

Referrals to the service are currently taken directly from GP surgeries, hospital teams, voluntary organisations and self-referral through a secure webform on the H4All website www.h4all.org.uk. Referrals receive first contact within 3 working days.

Patient Activation Measure

In order to gauge the cost effectiveness of the new wellbeing service, H4All have chosen to embrace an American health metric called the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) assessment and stratification tool. An individual PAM score of below 60 is identified as requiring support, health coaching and action planning. A patient with a PAM score of 61 and above is provided with IAS and signposting.

After just 10 months the project had overwhelmingly proven its business case. From 153 PAM assessments an average increase per patient of 8 points was observed. Research suggests a financial value can be attributed to the movement of a single PAM point. As a UK health economy figure this works out at a potential saving of £1,149 per patient.

Collaborating with other charities

The H4All project makes a compelling case study for the social prescribing model and CCGs throughout the country are likely to take an interest in what's happening at Hillingdon.

The H4All project also provides a good example of the key role that Crossdata can play in helping to facilitate the creation of similar third sector partnerships. If an effective collaborative hub is to be achieved, a secure information flow between partner charities and CCG/lead organisations is clearly essential. This is where Crossdata is proving vital.

Crucially, all of the H4All partner charities use the Charitylog CRM to manage their caseload. This means that H4All are able to securely pass on referrals to their local partners as Crossdata seamlessly links with the Charitylog service. (Crossdata is a sister brand to the Charitylog, specifically designed to enable effective collaboration between the public and third sectors).

With more than 600 UK charities already using Charitylog (and over 70 UK local authorities already using Crossdata), the Crossdata solution is therefore handily positioned to form the backbone of many more social prescribing partnerships throughout the UK.

Working with Charitylog - H4All's comments