Over 500 patients benefit from Acute Care at Home Service

by Gráinne Connolly

Only one year ago, the Western Trust launched their Acute Care at Home Service and since then, over 500 patients have already benefited from it. 

The short-term acute service provides a 'virtual ward' in the patient's home to treat their illness, avoiding an unnecessary admission to hospital or facilitating early discharge from the hospital. 

A specialist multidisciplinary team deliver the high quality care, consisting of Consultant Geriatrician, Specialty Doctors, Occupational Therapist, Physiotherapist, Nurses and Pharmacist. 

Essentially, it provides the same access to diagnostic and laboratory services as they would have in a hospital setting, allowing the team to be able to treat patients with a range of acute illnesses at home. 

Patients can be referred to the service by their GP or the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service, who will discuss with the Acute Care at Home Team, the best place of care to meet the specific needs of the patient.

Dr Bob Brown, Director for Primary Care and Older People at the Western Trust said:

“We know that a hospital admission can often cause stress and anxiety for patients, particularly those living with dementia.

"This service creates a ‘virtual ward’ in the patient’s home, allowing them to live independently for longer and, where possible, help avoid hospital admissions.

“The service demonstrates the success of transformation and the need to reform and personalise our services to meet the evolving health and social care needs of the population of the West.”

Dr Brown also thanked the Acute Care at Home Team "for their sterling work and commitment to providing such a fantastic service in the local community.”
 

Dr Stephen Todd, Consultant Geriatrician and Clinical Lead for the Acute Care at Home Team said:

“This safe and high quality service is helping many hundreds of older people to manage acute illness in the comfort of their own home, including nursing and residential accommodation.

"The team can treat a wide range of conditions such as chest infections and dehydration and can carry out scans and take blood tests in the patient’s home.

"By offering patients more accessible care in the community, we are seeing very positive outcomes from this service.”

According to the Western Trust, feedback has been very positive to date. 

Many Service Users and their families highlighting that being cared for at home shortened recovery times and have described the service as “excellent”, “professional” and “prompt” and  reassuring  for older people to have the opportunity to receive this high quality acute service in the comfort of their home, surrounded by family and carers.