Problem at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
- The team were only together one day a week owing to 7 day working
- Patients were originally seen face to face as patients prefer it, felt it was more personal
- Nil problems currently on either work stream c/o reduction in contact numbers during lockdown but may present when services return to clinic face to face appointments again
- Support with 2 week wait calls and diagnostics escalated to action – entailing contacting patients to establish why they don’t want to attend (potential delay in diagnosis and treatment concern)
- Demographic of some patients with smart phones or computer access
Aim
Needing to provide another way of contacting patients while Covid restrictions are in place, keep providing a service and giving patients the choice in how they’re seen
Plan
- Launch of an online video consultation meeting space
- Having a safe space for patients to be able to still see the team and can access support services from the comfort of their home as many were shielding
- Introduction of 7 day working
Benefits
- Colleagues within the region have been in touch to see how they can implement the same service
- Radio interviews via Lincs FM and Radio Lincolnshire and featured on BBC online website
- Adapting to change and embracing it. Still want to offer service to patients and working from home has been an IT challenge at times, and not being on site etc. Team have adapted well and just got on with it
- Patients can be seen and viewed on how they look and could be feeling (non-verbal cues etc)
- Nice for patients to be able see staff; they’re used to it and have been able to sustain contact when they are in times of need
Measures
- Will review the success of this venture through data collection and patient feedback in future
Resources / team
- Roll out at Boston and Grantham as an online clinic next
- Need to recruit 2 substantive posts for clinicians on these sites – not necessarily a nurse. Boston site was a seconded post and Grantham site’s has been vacant since January
- Macmillan will lift embargo on celebrating opening of the Lincoln site centre so that can now be done and launched for Grantham and Boston service users too
- Potential for Macmillan volunteers to support the service
Key learning
- Embrace change a lot easier having gone through this and QI Programme in the past
- Not so scared and daunting; it isn’t a bad thing to move on at pace
- Address pros and cons more carefully
Tips for others
- Go for it; look at benefits – for you and the patient then discuss with manager
- Access a Quality Improvement Programme to support your idea
- “If you don’t try you won’t know”
Contact name: Beverley Flockhart