Agenda item

Mike Hynes, Bury Sector Manager and Amanda Fisher, Urgent Care Development Manager, North West Ambulance Service will be in attendance report and tool kit attached.

Mike Hynes, Bury Sector Manager, (NWAS) Amanda Fisher, Urgent Care Development Manager, (NWAS), Dan Smith, Paramedic Consultant, (NWAS) attended the meeting to inform members of the work being undertaken by the service in relation to local care homes.

Care homes have always been one of the highest callers of 999 and this is understandable considering the profile of the residents. Some 999 calls however are for minor conditions or incidents which do not require an emergency ambulance and a way of managing these for the benefit of the patient and the Service needs to be established.

Figures for 999 calls from Bury care homes are as follows:

The NWAS Trust has received CQUIN (commissioning for quality and innovation) funding to establish an internal working group whose aim is to; ‘reduce the number of calls originating from nursing and residential care homes through training and education of care home staff, and to ensure those needing a response are managed with a resource that is commensurate with their presenting needs.

The initial pilot conducted over the Christmas period (late last year/early this year) was for 50 care homes region wide and this resulted in a 50 per cent reduction of calls from those homes trained with ongoing support.

Four care homes within Bury have been identified and are taking part in the initiative. They are:

Those present were invited to ask questions and the following issues were raised.

Responding to a member’s question, the Urgent Care Development manager reported that the most recent figures for ambulance call outs are as follows; 112 calls, Killelea House; 106 calls, Nazareth House; 109 calls Abbeycliffe Care Home and 161 calls from Heathlands.  Staff at these nursing homes have undertaken training in the NWAS tool kit to be able to best assist the residents and to avoid un-necessary 999 calls. 

The Bury Sector Manager reported that work is underway in other local authorities to embed the new NWAS tool in their organisations, some are considering making it part of their procurement process when commissioning care home providers.

The Urgent Care Development Manager reported that a culture shift is required within care homes.  Staff are naturally risk averse and often the easy option is to make a 999 call.

In response to a member’s question, the Urgent Care Development Manager reported that feedback from the initial pilot areas highlighted problems with high staff turnovers in some care homes and ongoing training is an issue.  As well as the ability to access ongoing help, advice and support from paramedics.

The Urgent Care Development Manager reported that by piloting this work, further issues have been identified and work is underway to try and alleviate the risk, reduce falls etc.

It was agreed:

Representatives from the North West Ambulance Service be thanked for their attendance.