The High Impact Use team run by Cambridgeshire County Council supports frequent A&E visitors who make repeated visits to A&E, often because of complex needs that are not primarily medical, through personalised support plans and referrals to health, housing, benefits and community services.

It is an approach that has been shown to reduce unplanned hospital admissions nationally by at least 40%.

Jon Bartram, programme director of strategic commissioning at NHS Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, said: ‘We're pleased to continue our partnership with Cambridgeshire County Council to support the HIU service. By working together, we're helping local patients with complex needs access the right support at the right time, while also easing pressure on A&E and emergency services. This innovative, personalised approach not only helps improve population health outcomes and address health inequalities, but also benefits wider system partners through increased engagement and enabling self-confidence to navigate services independently.'

Cambridgeshire County Council is currently the only local authority in the country to host such a service.

In 2023, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough ICS spent an estimated £28m of NHS funding on emergency care for around 4,500 people who attended A&E between five and ten times a year - an average of £6,200 per person.

Cllr Alison Whelan, chair of the Communities, Social Mobility and Inclusion committee, said: ‘This project is transforming the way we support residents who turn repeatedly to A&E, often because they don't know where else to go. By listening, understanding their needs, and connecting them with the right support, we're improving lives and reducing pressure on our health services.

‘The team plays a vital role in supporting our ambition to reduce health inequalities for our residents, and in supporting our vision of a more caring Cambridgeshire for everyone.'