Single Point of Contact (SPOC) and Emergency Carer Support Service (ECSS) pilots to support palliative/EOL patients - launched 13 June 2022.
These initiatives are being managed by DHU Healthcare as they align with 111 services that are accessed by patients and HCPs. Funding has been provided for two months from Hospice UK/NHSE.
The SPOC will be staffed with an ANP 24:7 who has some palliative care experience. Calls will be picked up by the ANP as they will be highlighted by 111 call advisors as being of a palliative nature. The ANP will triage calls, make interventions where they can eg generate an electronic prescription, or give symptom management advice. If they can't resolve the issue themselves they will pass on to other services to ensure that patients get the most appropriate and timely care. This is the reason for me asking for referral details, operational hours for your services and referral processes a few weeks ago.
The ECSS consists of three HCAs being 'on call' 24:7 across the county to provide crisis care and support to help keep people in their own homes. They will provide short term, ad hoc support until more substantive care can be obtained e.g. assist with personal care, incontinence care, patient and relative psychological/emotional support or comfort calls. They can also assist existing night services if double handed care is needed for a short time. The service is for patients who have tipped into crisis and where existing services cannot provide support (e.g. rapid deterioration or care package waiting for procurement etc.) or it is out of working hours. It is not intended to replace existing services such as the Hospice at Home teams or the Roaming Service. It is there to complement current services or provide a bridge until longer term support can be supplied. There are many people who tip into crisis where nothing is in place and patients may die before longer term support can be provided.
There are differences in service delivery across the county and the ECSS aims to try and meet a short term need. There will be three HCAs available per 12 hour shift. They may see multiple patients per shift. This model will not replace the need for services from existing providers, it is merely designed to direct short term care to crisis situations. Referrals to the ECSS are via the SPOC.
Referrals
SPOC or referrals to the ECSS can be contacted via the 111 Healthcare Professional Line i.e. 08444 122 235 or 111*5. The services are both running as part of a two month pilot.
Updates will be provided as the project progresses via the EOL Board, Ops Group and associated workstreams and feedback welcomed. Please email - E: jill.davies@dhuhealthcare.nhs.uk or jill.davies15@nhs.net