Virtual ward creates bed space at Addenbrooke’s

The Addenbrookes@Home service (in partnership with MediHome) helps patients leave hospital more quickly by allowing them to complete their treatment at home. The service provides 26 ‘virtual’ beds and patients are visited up to four times a day.

Specialist staff give follow up medical treatment for wounds, catheters or medications and the care plan is agreed with ward staff and the patient’s consultant before they leave the hospital.

Derek Coote from Haverhill was referred to Addenbrookes@Home after being admitted to hospital for a chest infection. He received three visits a day from MediHome staff over two, separate, month-long periods. Derek, who’s 85, said: “I think I made a faster recovery at home because I felt so much more comfortable than in hospital. I didn’t have to wait for my daughter to bring my wife in every day by car and it was nice to have familiar things around me.  We looked forward to the visits from the nurses who always made us laugh.”

Jurgen Herre is the specialist Respiratory Consultant in charge of Mr Coote’s care. He says: “The reason it works so well, is because it allows us to offer prolonged care to many of our  patients in a safe environment. By being looked after by medical professionals at home, they are at less risk of picking up hospital acquired infections and are generally more relaxed which helps recovery.  By caring for these patients at home we are freeing up space for more patients to come in and be treated on the wards.”

Under the programme, Medihome staff visit the patient up to four times a day, to provide the care and medical treatment they need to recover. 

Ewan Kelsall from Medihome said:  “We are treating up to 26 patients at any one time for Addenbrooke’s which amounts to around 50 visits per day. Any patient that we can help release from  hospital means another bed for the next patient, and that has to be a good thing.”

Antonina Davis is an Occupational Therapist for MediHome who cares for patients using Addenbrookes@Home. She says “The specialist help we provide can’t always be offered by the community services because the patients we treat often have very complex needs. They may be old and frail, they may need complex medication or live in difficult to reach places. Our service is very fast: we make an assessment with the help of the consultant and can take the patient home and start treatment on the same day. When we finish the care plan  the patient is discharged back to the care of their GP and if necessary an NHS community service or social care provision. It’s popular and effective because it’s a seamless process; there are no breaks in the system.”

The Addenbrookes@Home service has been running successfully since October 2012 and there are plans to roll it out to other parts of the hospital.
 
*******

For more information or interview requests please contact: louisegosling@addenbrookes.nhs.uk tel: 01223 586 730.  Communications Department, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ

www.cuh.org.uk

_________________________________________________________________