What our strategy will mean for patients by 2031
The changes that we will make will change the way we look after our patients.
When we deliver against our strategy, this is what our 2031 patients can expect from LGT.
We will help you stay well
You will get advice and support earlier, before a health problem becomes more serious.
You will get more care closer to home
When it is right for you, you will be cared for at home or in your local community instead of having to go to hospital.
You will wait less time for care
We will work to make appointments, tests, treatment and emergency care quicker and more consistent.
You will receive safe and kind care
We will treat you with dignity, listen to you and learn when things could have gone better.
Your care will be better joined up.
The different people and services supporting you will work together, including when you move between hospital and home.
You will not have to keep repeating your story.
Your care teams will be able to see the information they need, and we will explain your healthcare clearly.
You will have more choice and control
You will be involved in decisions about your care and able to manage appointments and information online if you want to. Other ways to contact us will still be available.
You will get tests, results and treatment sooner
Where possible, we will arrange what you need in fewer visits and closer to home.
Your care will be right for you
We will consider your needs, preferences and circumstances, give you information in a way you can understand and make reasonable adjustments when needed.
You will be cared for in better places by teams with more time for you
Our buildings will be safer and easier to use, and simpler systems will help our colleagues spend more time caring for patients.
Our care in 2031: illustrative patient examples
We’ve brought this to life through the illustrative patient case studies that bring together our commitments and show how joined-up care could feel for people with different needs in five years’ time. They reflect our ambition for earlier support, equitable access, informed choice, clear communication and safer transitions between services.
They are illustrations, rather than guarantees for individual patients, and are not intended to represent every community, protected characteristic, condition or care pathway across Lewisham, Greenwich and Bexley.
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Caring for Emma in 2031
Emma is 35 and is experiencing an uncomplicated pregnancy. She would
like to give birth at home and wants clear, balanced information so she can make an informed choice about where to have her baby.
Emma understands that her preferences will be respected and reviewed alongside clinical information throughout pregnancy, and that the same safe, personalised and culturally sensitive approach is made available to every woman
and birthing person.
From her first maternity appointment, Emma feels listened to and involved. Her midwife explains her choices clearly, including the benefits and considerations of a planned home birth. Together, they develop a personalised care plan that reflects Emma’s wishes and is reviewed throughout her pregnancy.
Emma receives routine antenatal care close to home, with appointments arranged at convenient times and clear information about what to expect. Her results, preferences and care plan are recorded in the electronic patient record, so everyone involved has the same up-to-date information, and Emma does not have to repeat herself.
As her pregnancy progresses, the maternity team continues to assess whether a home birth remains a safe option. Emma knows who to contact if she has concerns or thinks labour has started. She understands the circumstances in which hospital care might be recommended and what would happen if a transfer to hospital became necessary.
When Emma goes into labour, she contacts the maternity team and is assessed promptly. A midwife comes to her home with the equipment needed to support a planned home birth. Emma is cared for with kindness and respect, and her
birth preferences are followed wherever it is safe to do so. She feels informed and in control, with those she has chosen to support her.
The midwife monitors Emma and her baby throughout labour. There is a clear escalation plan and direct communication with the hospital team if either of them needs additional support. If transfer is required, information is shared quickly and the move is coordinated safely, without Emma having to explain everything again.
After the birth, Emma and her baby receive the appropriate checks at home. Feeding support, newborn screening and postnatal follow-up are coordinated, and Emma knows how to get help if she is worried about her own recovery or her baby’s health. Her emotional wellbeing is considered alongside her physical recovery.
Five years from now, Emma’s experience of LGT is defined by informed choice, personalised and respectful care, safe support for birth at home and joined-up follow-up for her and her baby.
Emma is an illustrative patient.