A brand new pilot service to support vulnerable patients at risk of hospital admission at the weekend has been launched by B&NES Enhanced Medical Services+ (BEMS+) with GP practices in Bath and North East Somerset.
It is hoped that the service, which is the first of its kind in the region, will help avoid unnecessary hospital admissions over the weekend and in turn, relieve some of the pressures currently facing the Royal United Hospital (RUH).
The service is specifically for vulnerable patients that have already been identified by their GP as in need of support at the weekend. These are patients who have complex or long-standing health needs, have just left hospital or are frail and elderly.
The pilot has been funded jointly by Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group (B&NES CCG) and NHS England. The new service is being delivered by BEMS+, a non-profit organisation that provides a range of community- based clinical services for patients on behalf of all 27 GP practices in the area.
The weekend service provides care to vulnerable patients in the comfort of their homes. Patients are referred to the weekend service by their GP, who work with their practice teams on a weekly basis to determine which of their patients could potentially be at risk and would benefit from the additional care.
The pilot service runs from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, with three GPs available to see patients on each day. The service has now been running for six weeks.
Previously, a vulnerable patient in need of care over the weekend may have been admitted to hospital by their GP or contacted the 'GP out of hours' service, which focuses on patients with urgent health care needs.
Andrew Smith, CEO of BEMS+, comments, "It is important that people know that they can't refer themselves for this service but our patients should be reassured that their GP and team are considering all patients. We will be closely monitoring the roll-out of the service and its impact – both on patients and other medical services in the community."
Dr Ian Orpen, a local GP and Clinical Chair of Bath and North East Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "The CCG is always looking at new ways to support local people to stay happy and healthy in their own homes for as long as possible. This means that people should be able to access care and support when they need it, regardless of what day it is. We are funding this new pilot to ensure that our most vulnerable patients get the right support at the weekend. A phone call or a home visit from a GP can make the difference between a weekend at home or a weekend in a hospital bed."