A new video by colleagues across the health and social care system in the Thames Valley shows how people can access urgent care at home – with the aim of preventing unnecessary admissions to hospitals and emergency departments, and providing care in community settings.
The video features colleagues from Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust (OHFT), South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS), as well as the daughter of a patient who received support at home from the service.
An Urgent Community Response (UCR) and Hospital at Home can be provided to people quickly in their homes. This supports people to be assessed, treated, and recover at home in familiar surroundings – which is often their preferred choice.
Conditions that qualify people for these include urgent catheter care, urgent diabetes care, acute confusion, urgent equipment provision, end of life support, reduced mobility and function, non-serious falls, or worsening frailty.
The teams can provide hospital level support, care, and treatment for up to 14 days in a patient’s own home (including care homes). This is dependent on clinical needs and preferences, and can include taking bloods, administering intravenous medications, senior clinical reviews, monitoring of heart and breathing rate, infection swabs, and urine tests.
The teams are made up of nurses, physical and occupational therapists, advanced clinical practitioners, and other health professionals. They work alongside consultants for medical oversight and link with organisations such as local hospitals, social care, ambulance services, and community care.
They take calls from the GPs, care homes, ambulance service, paramedics attending patients at their homes, NHS 111, hospitals, and community health professionals to reduce the need for patients being admitted to hospital.
By bringing together several key health services, we can support people to get better at home.