Urgent Community Response Service Expands to Reduce Emergency NHS Admissions | Our News

Urgent Community Response Service Expands to Reduce Emergency NHS Admissions

display image only

Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust (CWPT) has announced its Urgent Community Response service for Coventry is expanding its offering and will help to avoid ambulance call outs and hospital admissions via the NHS 111 service, where patients and carers can self-refer for the first time. The expansion also means the service will be available seven-days a week.

The Coventry Urgent Community Response (UCR) Service provides urgent support seven-days a week, between the hours of 08:00-20:00. The service helps to reduce avoidable hospital admissions, by providing a two-hour crisis response for people concerned their health or mobility has suddenly declined and are now at risk of admission to hospital. A holistic assessment is completed by the expert team within the home or where a patient usually resides. The service also provides a two-day “reablement” response for patient’s that require support to regain their skills, confidence, and independence to remain safely in their home or usual place of residence, following an illness or hospital discharge.

The UCR service, which has been accepting referrals from health care professionals since October 2021, has already supported hundreds of people to remain within their own home. There are many benefits of a two-hour response, including reduced demand on ambulance and other NHS services, while ensuring patients don’t suffer secondary conditions often associated with waiting for care when unwell or spending extended periods on the floor following a fall.

The service already accepts referrals from West Midlands Ambulance Service via diverted 999 calls, GPs, and care homes, and has been helping the local emergency department to reduce waiting times by accepting referrals directly from A&E. This allows patients who meet the criteria for the service to return home for treatment.

Referral criteria reflects the nine conditions outlined nationally for UCR services and includes non-traumatic falls, urgent catheter issues, decompensation of frailty, reduced functional ability, palliative crisis, need for urgent equipment, concern of delirium, diabetes support, and care support.

Mel Coombes MBE, Chief Executive Officer of Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust believes the service expansion will benefit both patients and the NHS alike:

“We are delighted to be extending the Urgent Community Response service for Coventry. As well as providing a service for patients who do not need to attend A&E and can be successfully treated in the community, the extended service will also cut down risk of future falls and help to reduce the risk of re-admission.”

You can view a video which explains the service in more detail and find out more here.

NHS Coventry Urgent Community Response (UCR) Service video link

COOKIE USE ON THIS SITE

This website uses cookies. By using our website you agree to our cookie policy.

Please choose a setting: