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Manchester Case Management
A pioneering scheme providing care and support to people with complex health and care needs in Manchester. It has reduced unnecessary use of other healthcare services by up to 60%.
A small percentage (2%) of Manchester people are very vulnerable and have complex physical health, mental health and social care needs. They often find it difficult to navigate and access the standard healthcare system due to the multiple difficulties they are facing.
Some people end up using hospital-based services such as A&E as a default, and more frequently, as they find it difficult to keep themselves healthy, safe and well at home. MCM is designed to support people with the most complex health and care needs in the community so they are less reliant on hospital and other urgent care services.
Manchester Care Management (MCM) is a service that provides care and support to people with the most complex health and care needs.
The MCM teams are led by a GP, working alongside a nurse, social worker, wellbeing adviser and pharmacist. Each team builds links with
the local community and works in partnership with primary care services, the integrated neighbourhood team (the team of community health and social care services in the neighbourhood), mental health services and other local voluntary services and community groups. The service offer is tailored to the goals and aspirations of each individual person, joining up care and support to best meet their needs.
MCM is based on international good practice. The effectiveness of this intensive and flexible approach to care is well documented and we can expect it to reduce hospital demands and improve the lives of people living with complex health and care needs.
The benefits the service offers are a dedicated team, sharing care, providing intensive & flexible support and more time and capacity to help & support what is important for each person in the service. Patients are identified as potentially appropriate for MCM by GP practices and using health based information to proactively offer the service to people.
Because of their health and care needs, this relatively small group of people also account for a significant proportion of healthcare spend so targeting support has a benefit to the overall system as well as the individual.
MCM has been rolled out across the city in 2020 so there is an MCM service in each of our 12 neighbourhoods. It was originally known as High Impact Primary Care when it was piloted in three neighbourhoods in the city – Cheetham and Crumpsall; Gorton and Levenshulme; and Wythenshawe.
What has its impact been so far?
Data from the High Impact Primary Care pilot work in the north of the city was really encouraging. It showed reductions amongst the people it has been designed to support in:
- GP contacts
- hospital admissions
- calls to NHS 111
- A&E attendances.
Reductions have been of up to 60% in some cases. People have been supported to feel more in control of their lives, re-engage with family, friends and the local community, and to feel more confident in managing their long term health conditions.
This way of working shows the difference that working together and focusing on the needs of individuals can have amongst some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Find out more about the innovative way we work with our new models of care here.
