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Award-winning service ensures dignity and respect for older people20 November 2008A new community-based service aims to ensure that older people receive the care and treatment they need in the comfort of their own homes. This initiative - which was recently awarded the Bupa Foundation Care Award 2008 - is helping to reduce the huge burden on the NHS as a result of unnecessary admissions. Older people account for nearly half of all emergency medical admissions and a significant number of these are considered inappropriate because they are not critically ill, and can be safely managed with joint health and social care in the community. A group from Torfaen Intermediate Care Services, part of Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust in South Wales, has developed the new community programme which offers expert assessment, diagnostics and treatment in the patient's home on the day of referral. The service is led by a community-based consultant geriatrician, supported by an Advanced Clinical Assessment Team (ACAT) working in close collaboration with local general practitioners (GPs), social services and hospital trusts. In the last year, the team saw 1,200 patients in homes or care homes and prevented 975 unnecessary hospital admissions. Professor Bim Bhowmick, clinical director of Torfaen Intermediate Care Services, said: "We wanted to provide our older population with real choice about who, where and when they can receive effective care. We know that older people living in our borough don't want to go to hospital for treatment unless it's absolutely necessary, but we are also aware that these are the very people who can fall between the gaps of traditional care provision. The Bupa Foundation win means a tremendous boost to the team as we continue to meet the needs of this vulnerable group and reduce the immense burden on NHS beds as a result of unnecessary admissions." Professor Bhowmick operates a 'virtual ward round' daily, where patients cared for by the ACAT team have their needs and treatment options discussed and care plans formed. Almost all patient referrals are from GPs who remain responsible for the patient and are fully informed of treatments. The assessors attend the residence of a patient within one to 12 hours of a GP referral and the patient's care is managed at home for 24 hours to two weeks depending on the complexity of their needs. Bupa's group medical director and vice-chairman of the Bupa Foundation, Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, said: "This service has reduced the gap between primary and secondary care through close collaboration with GPs, social services and the hospital trust. It is an excellent example of an innovative redistribution of resources to modernise and improve the existing service." Professor Bhowmick received his Bupa Foundation award at a ceremony at Lincoln's Inn in London on the evening of 12 November 2008. For more information about the Bupa Foundation awards, visit www.bupafoundation.com Back to the latest press releases
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