Stakeholder Update
Summer 2026

Full Steam Ahead!

Building on Solid Foundations.

2026 has presented us with a host of new challenges and opportunities. With new and existing services pushing us to adapt quickly, we’ve developed a deeper understanding of how our services operate and interact with the wider system.

We continue to grow our services to support demand, with recruitment for our upcoming CYP services in full swing. HR and Workforce colleagues continue to support staff during this period, preparing our new workforce for service launch and integrating new staff into existing wider teams.

Head of Partnerships and Integration

Introducing Hollie Hastings

Vertis Health is pleased to announce the appointment of Hollie Hastings as Head of Partnerships and Integration, effective from 20 July 2026.

Being involved in the local system for many years, Hollie has worked alongside Primary Care and helped drive transformation, development, strategy and much more. She now joins Vertis in her new role as Head of Partnerships and Integration, marking Vertis’s next step in providing effective and reliable services across Worcestershire, benefitting our Primary Care partners and re-investing into our local services.

Hollie’s role will focus on the new Neighbourhood Health programme, working closely with GPs and PCNs to support with service delivery.

Vertis is delighted to have Hollie on board and is looking forward to a bright and successful future of collaborative work with our local Primary Care partners.

Adult ADHD

Adult ADHD Services

Following feedback from GP colleagues, we have revised our Shared Care Letters to make them clearer and more helpful for practices. The updated letters will be sent to practices shortly for review.

As part of this work, we have also revised earlier letters in response to the feedback received. This has created a temporary backlog, so we kindly ask practices to bear with us while the team works through the outstanding correspondence. Thank you for your patience and for the constructive feedback that has helped us improve the process.

Patient Feedback

Patient feedback indicates that the service is having a positive impact, with patients particularly valuing the responsiveness, empathy and thoroughness of clinical and administrative colleagues:

“Easy process, thorough follow ups and felt listened and attended to. Was supported with alternative medication types”
“I am always listened to and am receiving the help I need, and everyone I've spoken to has been friendly and helpful.”
“Clinician was personable and amicable and made the assessment non judgemental and bought a warmth to what could have been a very difficult time.”
“Hassan Ahmed been excellent. Really thorough. Happy with consistency. Listens with care and understanding. Really rate him and his care as well as admin who are responsive. Love text message system.”

We are grateful to everyone who has taken the time to share their experiences. Alongside the positive comments, patients have also identified opportunities to improve prescription processes and access to wider mental health support. This feedback will help inform the service’s ongoing development.

Children & Young People’s Services

Starting on the right foot.

Children and Young People’s Service Updates

We are pleased to welcome several key colleagues to our Children and Young People’s (CYP) service:

Emma Jesic, Service Lead
Dr Tabitha Bailey, Clinical Lead
Jayne O’Reilly, ASD Assessor

The team has now begun triaging patients as the service moves through its phased launch.

Following feedback and learning from similar pathways elsewhere, the service model was revised in May to support a more comprehensive assessment process. This included the introduction of additional roles, such as Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy.

Taking account of recruitment timescales and notice periods, the full multidisciplinary service is expected to be operational by September 2026. In the meantime, patients will begin progressing through the initial stages of the pathway from July, with introductory telephone calls to referred patients commencing in August.

The phased approach also reflects the summer holiday period, when it may be more difficult to obtain input from school staff or fully completed questionnaires. However, referrals should continue to be submitted via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) where the required questionnaires have been completed — this is actively encouraged.

Referral information

Wider Services.

Service extensions and new beginnings.

Our wider services have been trying to steal the spotlight from our ADHD and ASD services recently, with a successful launch of our Community Out of Hours GP Service and UCR being extended for a further three months.

Community Out of Hours GP Service

Vertis Health’s new Community Out-of-Hours (OOH) GP Service, commissioned by H&W Health & Care Trust, went live on 8 July 2026.

The service was mobilised within a particularly short timeframe, requiring rapid input and support from colleagues across all areas of the business. A strong spirit of partnership underpinned the mobilisation, with the Vertis Health and Trust clinical and operational management teams working closely together — often in daily contact throughout the four-week stand-up phase — to support a safe and smooth launch.

Early feedback from ward colleagues has been extremely positive:

“I have just had a couple of nurses come and feedback how good the OOH service of the weekend was. Much easier call to the service, which previously took about 30minutes to talk to an admin person and give all the patient history and DH. Now with access to Rio and Bettermeds and speaking directly to the clinician the call is much more efficient. Clerking over the weekend happened in a really timely manner. ‘Brilliant’ our deputy ward manger said!”

Thank you to everyone across Vertis Health and the Trust whose flexibility, expertise and collaborative working made the successful launch possible.

UCR

The planned stand-down of the existing UCR service on 8 July 2026 was reversed during the afternoon of 7 July, and Vertis Health was asked to extend the current service for a further three months. Thanks to an immediate response from the team, GP cover was secured from 8am the following morning. Work is now under way to rebuild the rota, using colleagues who have previously supported UCR wherever possible.

This has been a significant operational undertaking, particularly as a number of experienced UCR colleagues had already been redeployed to support the new Community OOH GP Service. We are extremely grateful to everyone who has responded with such flexibility and commitment to maintaining continuity of care.

PCU

Discussions with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Trust are continuing, with potential changes to service delivery being planned. A pilot is proposed for late August 2026 which intend to streamline the patient journey between A&E and PCU.

Well.

Steady Progress.

Well continues to provide a steady flow of patients with weight loss medication. The pricing model has not changed since our last update, however it remains competitive with other providers. Well is still one of the only providers with a face-to-face element of prescribing available.

With the introduction of the Wegovy pill to the market as an alternative to the injection, Well is scoping out its inclusion in the product range - this is likely to be a more welcome alternative for many potential patients, so keep your eyes open for this product being added to the range.

Visit Well