SaHF DMBC Volume 1 Edition 1.1.pdf - Shaping a healthier future

The UCC will integrate with current service provision but will develop the distinctive
culture and approach of a primary care service, with experienced and appropriately
skilled primary care clinicians leading the service, working alongside other healthcare
professionals undertaking assessments and seeing and treating patients
The UCC will not constitute a further access point for routine NHS care in the health
economy; neither will it allow duplication of existing services. Patients attending who
do not have urgent care needs will be supported by staff in the centre to access
advice and care from their local community pharmacist, or to make an appointment
with their own GP within the target timescales
Service providers of the UCC and the ED will be required to work together to ensure
integrated and seamless care pathways
The UCC should ensure patients receive a consistent and rigorous assessment of
the urgency of their needs and an appropriate and prompt response
The UCC Information and Communication Technology (ICT) processes should be
inter-operable with both GP and Trust systems in order to facilitate effective
information sharing.
The main elements of the service will include:
Streaming, registration and initial assessment
Diagnosis and treatment
Referral and discharge.
7.14.2 Clinical scope
All UCCs should have the ability to manage the full range of emergency and urgent care
presentations appropriate to its function. The E&UC CIG recommends a consistent clinical
scope for UCCs across NW London as follows:
The scope of the UCC will include both Minor Illnesses and Minor Injuries;
Interventions considered in-scope include:
o The management of uncomplicated fractures
o Non-complex regional anaesthesia for wound closure and local anaesthesia
o Incision and drainage of abscesses not requiring general anaesthesia; and
o Minor ENT/ophthalmic procedures (e.g. packing noses; removing foreign
bodies from eyes, ears and noses)
The interpretation of X-rays and other diagnostics/ investigations will be in scope
There will be no age limit for UCC patients.
Figure 7.32 summarises the urgent care centre clinical inclusion and exclusion criteria for
adult and paediatric patients. This is for illustrative purposes; more detailed exclusion criteria
have been developed.
Figure 7.32: Urgent care centre clinical inclusion and exclusion criteria
Conditions suitable for UCC Clinical exclusions (adults) Clinical exclusions (children)
The scope of the UCC will
include both minor illnesses
and minor injuries:
o cuts and grazes
o minor scalds and burns
o strains and sprains
o bites and stings
o minor head injuries
Markedly abnormal baseline
signs
Chest Pain (likely cardiac)
Complex fractures (e.g. open
fractures, long bone fracture
of legs, spinal injury)
Patients receiving
oncological therapy
In addition to the adult
exclusion criteria:
Acutely ill children (defined
using PEWS)
Paediatric head injury
Procedure requiring sedation
Multiple pathologies deemed
to be complex
7b. Work of the Emergency and Urgent Care CIG 152