NHS Lothian has rolled out a ‘robust action plan’ to ensure patients continue to receive the highest quality care throughout the busiest time of the year.
A detailed multi-million pound strategy to manage the predicted increases in demand is underway to bolster community and hospital services.
It has a particular emphasis on reducing hospital attendance, managing and avoiding admission using community-based initiatives and reducing the length of a patient’s stay. It also focuses on flow through the hospital system.
Extra nurses, nurse practitioners and consultants have been deployed, capacity has been increased and new clinics created. Pioneering initiatives have also been created in the community as part of schemes to help the system work smarter and tackle existing challenges to make it easier for patients to access care and return home as soon as they are well.
Jacquie Campbell, Chief Officer of Acute Services, NHS Lothian, said: “Every day our teams perform vital, lifesaving work, but they come under increasing pressure over winter. We have designed a plan that not only supports them, but also allows them to continue to provide the high quality, patient-centred care we are all so proud of.
“This diverse range of new initiatives and plans will help our frontline and community services to react in more responsive ways to the challenges that Winter brings.
“We are also working with and creating more community-based services to reduce the need for patients to come to hospital and then also ensure they can return home as soon as they are fit and well enough to do so.”
Around £3.4m has been allocated to services and directorates from across the acute sector and the health and social care partnerships.
General patient flow, the discharge process and preventative care to reduce admission to hospital in the first instance have all been targeted.
Services across the acute hospital system have increased capacity and enhanced medical cover to allow them to work more effectively over seven days a week to provide care and discharge patients throughout the week. Teams dedicated to improving patient flow through the hospital have also been increased to ensure the discharge process is smooth for staff and patients.
Meanwhile Discharge to Assess teams will also be working throughout a patient’s stay to optimise their recovery and ensure they can return home as soon as they are able. Discharge lounge capacity and transport facilities are also being expanded to meet the resulting demand.
Senior medical and other clinical staffing has also been boosted in areas where demand is expected to surge over winter. A dedicated Acute Respiratory Nurse Specialist has been allocated to the Emergency Department (ED) and Medical Assessment Units (MAU). Similarly a dedicated Cardiology Nurse Practitioner will also be available to the ED.
A policy of ringfencing beds for both elective surgical activity and emergency surgical activity has been introduced to ensure that beds are available for patients to help minimise delays and procedures being postponed.
Point of care testing for influenza in emergency medical patients attending ED and MAU has also been introduced across hospital sites for adults and children and compliments the existing staff flu immunisation campaign and the plan to vaccinate housebound patients in their own home.
Extra GP weekend cover has also been put in place for care homes to provide better continuity of care for patients, avoid hospital admissions where appropriate, and reduce pressure on ED and the Lothian Unscheduled Care Service (LUCS), which provides care at nights and weekends.
As part of the winter plan, NHS Lothian has launched a clear-cut campaign to make sure patients know where to get help if they are sick or injured this winter.
The “Not Just A&E” campaign has been designed to help direct patients get the right care in the right place and ensure that the emergency department is able to treat people in life-threatening situations.
Emergency departments in Lothian are busier than ever before and “Not Just A&E” is designed to urge patients to consider minor injuries units, pharmacists, optometrists, dentists and their GP. And if people need help at night or on weekends and are too ill to wait until their GP or dental practice opens to they are reminded to use NHS 24 by dialling 111.
More information can be found on the NHS Lothian website https://www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk
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