NHS South East Clinical Delivery and Networks came into being on 1 April 2020, working in partnership with Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STPs) or Integrated Care Systems (ICS’s) in the South East of England and their constituent commissioners (including both CCGs and local government), supporting their decision making and strategic planning.
Clinical networks have existed in the UK since 1999, so the clinical network way of working is over 20 years old. Research conducted since clinical networks were first established has repeatedly demonstrated the value of clinical networks in service improvement, spread of best practice and in dealing with so-called ‘wicked’ problems.
Our overall aim is to address local variation and inequalities in health outcomes and patient experience across five condition areas, which are identified as areas where most lives are lost prematurely i.e. where major health challenges and inequalities exist:
- All age Mental Health
- Cardiovascular (in 2020 mainly focusing on respiratory)
- Children and Young People
- Maternity
- Palliative and End of Life Care
NHS South East Clinical Delivery and Networks is supported by both the Hampshire Thames Valley and the Kent Surrey and Sussex Clinical Delivery and Networks teams.
Since 1 April 2020, the four Cancer Alliances in the South East report to different management, and operate to a different geographical footprint. They are chaired by the specialist cancer health providers in their area. They are as follows:
- Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance
- Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance
- Thames Valley Cancer Alliance
- Wessex Cancer Alliance
We work collaboratively and will advise on local implementation of national programmes. We have skills in the use of improvement tools and will act as a critical friend to the healthcare system to drive improvement. As ‘super-connectors’ we will join up established projects with the new, using our extensive knowledge of the local system, clinical and patient voice and our networking skills.
Our combined Hampshire Thames Valley and Kent, Surrey and Sussex teams will:
- assist commissioners make the best decisions about healthcare for the population
- put outcomes and quality at the heart of the commissioning system
- increase efficiency and spread of best practice
- promote the needs of patients above the needs of organisations or professions.
