3 Dimensional Health Care | Insights from Dr. Ollie Hart

1 day ago5 min read

Here at THC Primary Care, we provide resources for PCN leaders. Dr. Ollie Hart, PCN Clinical Director and Director of Peak Health Coaching, shares his expertise on implementing a three-dimensional healthcare model that integrates medical, social, and self-care approaches as part of our Best Practice / THC Primary Care webinar series.

Together, we cover:

✅ What is 3 Dimensional Healthcare?

✅ Role of Care coordinators and coaches

✅ How to recruit and retain the right candidates

✅ The importance of leveraging the community

The webinar can be found here: https://www.bestpracticelondon.co.uk/thc-primary-care-webinar-series-1/3-dimensional-health-care . The summary of our discussion can be found below.

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Let's jump in!

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What is 3 Dimensional Health Care?

Dr. Ollie Hart describes healthcare as a three-legged stool, with each dimension supporting better patient outcomes:

Traditional medical care - think doctor visits, medications, and treatments. It's about addressing immediate health needs and preventing future issues.
The social care environment - the things around us that impacts health - housing quality, access to parks, community connections, and even job stability. These factors hugely influence our well-being.
Self Care and confidence people need to manage their own health journey. This includes developing healthy habits, understanding their conditions, and feeling empowered to make good health choices.
For acute problems like injuries, medical care takes the lead. But for chronic conditions like diabetes, you need all three working together.

Think of it like an orchestra—each section plays its part in creating better health outcomes. In this model, all three elements intersect with care coordinators, social prescribers, and health and wellbeing coaches working across health, social, and self-care areas and managing highly complex patient cohorts.

Q: What guidance would you offer PCNs in the early stages of implementing care coordinators, social prescribing link workers, and health coaches?

Dr Hart shares four key tips.

Emphasise the benefits. Evidence shows that this proactive approach reduces system pressure, improves patient interactions, and improves health outcomes
Focus on skill-building for both staff and patients
Implement training and support
Monitor impact through measurable outcomes

Practical Implementation:

Start with foundational training for new roles
Develop structured supervision systems
Use simple assessment tools that consider both health and social contexts
Build self-management support into every patient interaction
Track appointment demographic data, frequencies, patient satisfaction, and health outcomes to demonstrate impact
We do have to be patient
We need to be realistic
It is important to build evidence or impact on the difference this role is making…
Be comfortable repeating the same messages

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Q: How can PCNs better understand and engage with what the community needs, particularly in delivering health messages?

Dr. Hart highlights..."Our greatest untapped resource is our patient population. They bring lived experience that professional expertise can't match".

We should be using our communities to:

Support educational events and program design
Better help us manage chronic conditions successfully
Partner with community leaders who understand local needs
Create platforms for patient voices and experiences

"We need to shift our mindset from 'delivering to' to 'partnering with' communities. Patients living with conditions often communicate health messages more effectively than healthcare professionals - they speak from experience, understanding both the challenges and practical solutions."

This approach brings authenticity to health education while building community trust and engagement. PCNs can facilitate this by:

Supporting peer support networks
Training patient educators
Creating opportunities for community feedback
Incorporating patient insights into service design

Q: Where can PCNs find and develop effective care coordinators and health coaches?

Dr. Hart shares, "The talent is often right in front of us. Look within your practice population - healthcare assistants, receptionists, and people with lived experience often make exceptional candidates. They already understand your community and have that crucial person-centred mindset."

Key considerations when recruiting:

Seek individuals who understand social dynamics and are passionate about community health
Connect with experienced coordinators/coaches when hiring your first role
Provide robust supervision and peer support to prevent isolation
Implement structured training programs with clear progression paths
Allow time for role development and team integration

Dr. Hart explains. "The right candidates need three things: baseline training, ongoing supervision, and opportunities for skill development. When we provide this foundation, both the practices and patients see tremendous value."

Dr. Hart also emphasises that while coaching support is available, building a strong team takes time: "Be patient with the process. Focus on stability first, then gradually expand capabilities."

Peak Health and Coaching’s mission is to help the NHS become more of a coaching organisation. They offer training courses to equip various healthcare staff with these skills. Their courses cover topics such as pain management in primary care, trauma-informed approaches, and other techniques that build these coaching skills in a practical and tangible way.

We hope interview provides food for thought.

About Us

THC Primary Care is an award-winning healthcare consultancy specialising in Primary Care Network Management and the creator of the Business of Healthcare Podcast. With over 20 years in the industry, we've supported more than 200 PCNs through interim management, training, and consultancy.

Our expertise spans project management and business development across both private and public sectors. Our work has been published in the London Journal of Primary Care, and we've authored over 250 blogs sharing insights about primary care networks.