inPlace Shared Awareness Tool

At the heart of inPlace is the Shared Awareness Tool.  This is designed to enable place-based partnerships to reflect on where they currently are on their integration journey and where they want or need to be in the future to deliver better outcomes.  It sits under the inPlace Framework for Integration as an enabler to facilitate change alongside the directory of learning from partnerships across London.

The Shared Awareness Tool is drawn from extensive engagement and learning from existing place-based partnerships across London and in other areas of the UK and shaped by the Department of Health and Social Care’s integration White Paper on ‘Joining up care for people, places, and populations’ (February 2022).

The key enablers of partnership working in London

These have been highlighted throughout this development process, building on the 5Ps and our commitment to better outcomes for all, include:

  • Clear leadership and accountability
  • Shared decision making
  • A common language
  • Open and transparent communication
  • Shared priorities and outcomes
  • Empowered people
  • A focus on prevention & early intervention
  • Reducing barriers to accessing care
  • Aligning workforce and finances
  • Making effective use of data and technology

How the Shared Awareness Tool works

Every place is different, with its own local ambitions, needs and assets. This tool is therefore designed to be used in the context of local population needs. What is right for one place may not be right for another.

The tool and associated levels are intended as an aide to understanding ambitions and achievements for integration. It is not an absolute measure of where a partnership is either locally or in comparison with partnerships elsewhere.

Levels 0-3 on the tool provide a structure that reflects the different opportunities and challenges against the principles for effective partnership working which have been collaboratively developed across London. A lower level suggests the partnership has the opportunity to go further in terms of enabling effective partnership working, and a higher level highlights the progress already made. Space is provided for explanation of scores and to allow for reflection on where an organisation would like to be in the immediate future. For maximum impact, it is recommended that this process is reviewed every six months to monitor progress and review ambitions over time.

This tool is not designed to be a “maturity matrix”, performance management tool or rating system.  It is also not designed to be a test. It challenges organisations to think critically about each aspect of integration locally and what it means for partners and the community.

inPlace 5Ps Framework and Toolkit