For some people in crisis, they can feel like phoning for a doctor or an ambulance is the only solution when they don’t know where else to turn.
But thanks to the innovative Frequent Service User Service at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust, support is being given to patients who make frequent calls, leaving 999 and A&E free for life-saving emergencies.
This quality improvement project aimed to increase the number of patients accepting support from the service. First the team took a close look at why people were not taking up the support available and then a number of new things were trialled, to see if they would make a difference. These included sending a postcard, letting the patient know the service would be in touch.
The aim of the project was to increase the percentage of patients accepting input from the team, from 75 per cent to 85 per cent by January 2025, with the team achieving 87 per cent (of 45 referrals).
The FSU Team includes health practitioners with experience of supporting adults, children and families through life’s many challenges. They listen and find solutions to help.
The service offers a robust way of supporting people who make frequent use of health services, in particular A&E, primary care and mental health services. For those who just fancy an informal chat, the team can help with that too.
Find out more about the improvement work in the project on a page.HERE
