Totally Health signs five new NHS contracts for health coaching service

Published: 22-Apr-2014

New deals follow release of results from deployment in Leicester, where emergency admissions for COPD have reduced by 9.1%


Totally Health has signed contracts with six NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) and trusts since October 2013 for its clinical health coaching and decision support coaching services.

These contracts are an indication of the growing recognition of the benefits of integrated clinical health coaching services, which include improved health outcomes for patients, reduced repeat and re-admissions, a reduced loading on emergency care services, and cost savings in an environment where £7 out of every £10 of NHS spending is currently used for the management of long-term conditions.

Health coaching for long-term condition management and decision support really puts the patient at the centre of the process

Southern Derbyshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), Waltham Forest CCG, Newham CCG, NHS Sutton CCG, and NHS Kingston CCG are all working with Totally Health to provide clinical health coaching services to patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and in Waltham Forest COPD and diabetes. The services will support local care pathways and local primary and acute care providers to help the patients better self manage their conditions and to avert exacerbations. In addition, at High Weald Lewes Havens CCG, Totally Health is providing a clinical decision support service to patients covering a range of 36 conditions.

Wendy Norton, head of health coaching at Totally Health, said: “Health coaching for long-term condition management and decision support really puts the patient at the centre of the process. People with long-term conditions or those facing difficult health care choices can feel overwhelmed by the condition and its associated treatments: one of the values of health coaching is that at all times clients feel involved and in control, which improves self esteem and can elevate self efficacy. It also becomes easier for an individual to identify when things are starting to go wrong so they can be supported to take immediate appropriate action rather than waiting until the situation has worsened, requiring medical intervention or hospitalisation, which could potentially be avoided.”

Totally Health provides specialist clinical health coaching services to promote self care and bring about behaviour changes which impact positively on the health of people diagnosed with a long-term condition. The health coaches are registered nurses who help the patient manage their condition by providing mentoring and support via both outbound and inbound telephone calls.

Health coaching is a key area in which digital technology, integrated within the overall care pathway, can truly make an impact on the NHS

In addition to these new contracts, Totally Health announces the latest statistics from Leicester City CCG, where the organisation has been providing clinical health coaching, alongside other services, for COPD patients since December 2012. For the period up to the end of February 2014, across the cohort of chronic COPD patients on the programme, the health coaching service has saved 187 admissions, decreased patients’ average admission rate from 3.29 to 0.71, and reduced overall COPD emergency admissions by 9.1%.

Wendy Lawrence, chief executive of Totally Health, said: “We are delighted that the benefits to patients and the wider NHS of clinical health coaching are starting to be recognised. Not only can it save much needed costs and reduce the burden on over-stretched emergency services, but health coaching is proven to dramatically, positively impact patients overall health and therefore their lives. This is a key area in which digital technology, integrated within the overall care pathway, can truly make an impact on the NHS.”

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