More and more, in the alcohol and other drug sector, in the mental health sector and beyond, we hear about the goal integrated care.
But it means something different to just about everyone who uses the phrase. At First Step, we have a working definition, and a conceptual diagram (see above) to begin to define the important concept, that is central to our work.
Integrated care is when people get all the help they want and need from one team in one place.
In a way, it's actually pretty simple.
Central to this definition is the concept of having the right clinical and non-clinical staff in the same building, who collaborate effectively with and in support of clients. That's key. And we've identified that integrated care also has values to guide it, principles of care to guide each therapeutic relationship, principles of collaboration to work collectively within, 'always' and 'accessible' functions (minimum standards of what the team can help with), staff resources and other resources.
There are a few terms in that diagram that require explanation, and we'll delve in to them in future newsletters, as First Step continues it leading work to define integrated care.
