“I have had the best experience so far. Everyone has been amazing and I wouldn’t change anything.”

This is one of the many comments we have received from our patients since we created one-site elderly care at HRI with the focus on reducing their stays and increasing their independence.

Back in December 2017, these teams came together to transform the way we care in a very short time –  and pictured are just some of our colleagues in those teams on Ward 5, Ward 6, Ward 15 and Frailty and Ward 20.  

Improving patient care was our priority and it followed recommendations from the Royal College of Physicians for us to create single site inpatient care for elderly patients and for respiratory and cardiology patients * - and the scale of the challenge, and what was achieved, was huge.

Now 18 months on, the feedback from our patients and their families is showing we are heading the right way. In his report into the Medical Services Reconfiguration lead clinician Dr Rob Moisey hails the teams for all that has been achieved so far.

His report says the transformation  for elderly care at HRI occurred because the teams pulled together to go the extra mile.

He says they had extra challenges of working through outbreaks of flu and norovirus yet had pulled together to “create a welcoming, happy team with excellent feedback from patients and families” and went on to gain Silver Exemplar accreditation.

 “Our staff during this period worked extremely hard to ensure patients’ safety and experience, whilst in our care, was not compromised.”

Matron  for Elderly Care, Helen Hodgson, added her thanks:  " My personal thanks go to all the staff on the wards for their hard work both during and since the move to make it a success. There is a specific thank you to the Ward Managers and Sisters who demonstrated considerable leadership during a difficult few months to make the changes happen and enable the ward staff to deliver the Elderly Care Strategy. This has led to considerable benefits for our patients."

Here are some of the patients’ comments received:

Ward 20: “ Thank-you for so much care, support and kindness you have given to our mum. The dedication and care you provide should never go unnoticed and we cannot thank you enough for this.”

Ward 5: “It really has helped us as a family, knowing that our mum is safe surrounded by experts in care. I’m sure we are one family among hundreds you have helped through really painful times.… you are all attentive, show great patience in what must be a tough job.”

And a general one for our elderly care team. “We would like to thank you for the care and love you have shown to our mum over the last five weeks. You have, without exception, been truly amazing and have helped her get back some of her original persona which she lost when she was so ill.”

The transformation also saw the creation of our Frailty Team  and working 8 am-8 pm seven days a week have so far supported many patients to avoid having to be admitted and this has been achieved  by strengthening our links with community and voluntary sector.

Dr Moisey concludes that, together with the introduction of EPR, significant benefits have been achieved.

He says: “Development of services onto single sites, supported by a digital revolution, has allowed transformational change in how we care for patients.”

 

*In the coming weeks we will look at – and hear from - the teams at CRH caring for our cardiology and respiratory patients and all they have achieved.

 

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