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Elderly Avoid Hospital Stays With New Care Scheme
7 May
Summary
- A new scheme allows elderly patients to be treated at home.
- 98% of patients in a trial scheme remained safely at home.
- Paramedics access specialists via a frailty line for home care.
Henrietta Shadforth, an 87-year-old resident of Warwick, recently experienced the benefits of a new healthcare scheme designed to keep frail elderly patients out of hospital. After a fall at home, paramedics, assisted by the Consultant Connect service, were able to virtually review her case with hospital specialists.
This collaborative effort between South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust and West Midlands Ambulance Service allows paramedics immediate access to consultants via a frailty line. This enables informed decisions to be made, often allowing patients to receive care safely within their own homes.
The service was trialled late last year and permanently implemented in January. It has since aided 133 patients, with an impressive 98% successfully treated at home. This approach aligns with the government's 10-year plan to deliver NHS care closer to patients' homes.
Consultant Connect is operational day and night across Warwickshire. Other NHS trusts in the West Midlands are considering adopting similar initiatives to improve patient outcomes, reduce emergency department waits, and decrease ambulance offloading delays.
