Pennine Acute Trust services shortlisted in national Patient Safety awards

The Trust’s safeguarding team based at North Manchester General Hospital, led by Dr Suzanne Smith, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the data/information management category, whilst the Urgent Care team at North Manchester General Hospital has been shortlisted in the patient safety in acute care category

Two services at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust have been shortlisted for a prestigious national award.

The Patient Safety Awards 2013, which are run by the Nursing Times and the Health Service Journal, aim to recognise the best patient safety initiatives so that the expertise, knowledge and learning used within the projects can be shared across the health service.

The Trust’s safeguarding team based at North Manchester General Hospital, led by Dr Suzanne Smith, has been shortlisted as a finalist in the data/information management category, whilst the Urgent Care team at North Manchester General Hospital has been shortlisted in the patient safety in acute care category.

The Trust’s safeguarding team were chosen as one of the finalists for their new online safeguarding information sharing and referral form to improve the sharing of information between health and social care agencies. Following the introduction of the new system, the quality and accuracy of information has been enhanced to help safeguard children and adults.

The integrated ambulatory care service at North Manchester General Hospital has been shortlisted in the patient safety in acute care setting category. The new service has been designed to treat ambulatory patients with access to the same day diagnostic tests, assessment and clinical opinion, so they can be treated in the same visit, rather than having an admission into hospital.

A dedicated ambulatory treatment unit, called the North Manchester Treatment Centre was set up within the existing medical assessment unit at North Manchester General Hospital and has since co-located next to the Emergency Department.

Clinical pathways have been developed that cut across organisational boundaries and in the first 12 months the team focused specifically on lower respiratory tract infections, cellulitis and paediatric bronchiolitis, all of which have a primary care element supporting the ambulatory approach to care to fit the patient, and promotes care closer to home.

The new centre now sees on average 500 patients per month, with the average length of stay per patient of two hours. All patients have a discharge letter sent to their local GP on the same day.

Jenny Brown, directorate manager for unscheduled care at North Manchester General Hospital, said: “Through developing an integrated team approach from primary, secondary and community care, we are ensuing that patients receive the right assessment and treatment in the right place and at the right time.

"The pilot service which was developed in conjunction with the North Manchester Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) was designed to take referrals from primary care, community care and Pennine Acute Trust health professionals. It is led by advanced nurse practitioners with a wide and varied range of expertise to ensure that they deliver high quality care for patients, without the need for admission to a hospital ward.

“We are so pleased that our project has been such a success as not only has it enabled us to reduce acute admissions and re-admissions into hospital but we are providing clinical support to healthcare professionals in the primary care and community care settings.”

A similar service has since been set up at The Royal Oldham Hospital and Fairfield General Hospital, both of which are part of The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Both teams now have to present their project to a judging panel of experts, before the decision on the winners is announced at a special awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 9 July 2013.