A new crisis response service has been launched as part of the East Sussex Better Together programme to prevent unnecessary hospital admission by providing urgent assessment and provision of community nursing care, in people’s own homes.
The service is made up of a team of Nurse Practitioners, Healthcare Assistants, Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists and night sitters. The service aims to prevent the admission into hospital of those patients who are at high risk of being admitted into hospital, but who would be better suited to be cared for at home. Patients cared for at home will have a suitable care plan initiated for up to 72 hours. After this time, further assessment and support can be arranged as necessary to ensure the patient can remain safely in their own home.
The service went live on 1st July in the Hastings and Rother area and a further roll out is planned for October 2016 in the Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford areas.
John Cooke, Crisis Response Nurse, said: “Preventing admission to hospital of people who would be better cared for at home, is key to how our service works. The Crisis Response Team are skilled in providing that care and we work with the patient to ensure they receive all the help they need, plus arrange any additional care afterwards.”
Amanda Philpott, Chief Officer, NHS Eastbourne, Hailsham and Seaford CCG and NHS Hastings and Rother CCG, said: “This service will help people who are unwell and who may have previously been admitted to hospital to stay at home. By the person staying at home, it allows them to be cared for in a familiar environment without the added stress and anxiety of being admitted to hospital. This ensures the person receives the right care in the right setting at the right time, one of the fundamental principles of East Sussex Better Together (ESBT).”
This new service is part of the East Sussex Better Together programme which is transforming and integrating local health and social care services. It’s about making sure local health and social services work together to achieve the best possible services for local people.