Synapse May 12.indd - Health Service Journal

Transformation Programme 2012/13Last year (financial year April 2011 to March2012) the plan was to save £12.2m and this hasbeen achieved. The target for the financial yearApril 2012 to March 2013 is now £24.6m. Thiswill be a significant challenge and will requireservice transformation to achieve the target.Transformation schemes worth £19.8m havealready been identified and focus on ensuring:● patients spend no more time in hospital than is necessary. Thisis referred to as reducing our length of stay.● patients have access to senior clinicians quickly● patients only have follow-up appointments if necessary● reduce unnecessary inpatient admissions by increasing theproportion of day surgery performedA good example is the pilot in SAU where emergency surgerypatients are seen by a consultant on arrival. The results showthat this has reduced unnecessary hospital admissions.Patients with conditions including non-specific abdominal pain,biliary colic, some abscesses or chronic conditions were givenambulatory care – which is care given to patients who don’tneed to be admitted to hospital. Patients processed in thismanner can be offered subsequent dates for surgery therebypreventing future uncertainty and unnecessary readmissions.The consultant surgeon is also on call to take telephone callsfrom GPs about patients, discuss cases and provide expertadvice – sometimes preventing admission where it’s clinicallyappropriate.The consultant is supported by an assistant practitioner whorecords observations, takes blood samples and cannulatespatients if necessary. The assistant practitioner also providessupport during minor procedures. Rapid access to ultrasoundscans are also available, preventing unnecessary inpatientwaiting times.Consultant surgeon, Gillian Tierney said: “This is a real benefitfor patients and feedback forms show that patients feel thisservice is fantastic. They are seeing the real benefits of beingseen, assessed and investigated more quickly. For the first time,GPs are able to ring direct to the bed bureau where they canspeak to SAU directly and get a consultant surgeon’s opinion.This has prevented unnecessary admissions and suggestionsfor appropriatealternatives areprovided. Derby isbeing used as anexemplar site whereconsultants fromthe Queens MedicalCentre, Bath andLeicester hospitalshave visited us tosee and to learnfrom our SAUservice.”If you wouldJo Evley, senior sister, Gillian Tierney,consultant surgeon, Heather Pashley, sisterlike to find outmore about theTransformation Programme for 2012/13,visit the ‘Transformation’ pages on Flo or emailbestcarebestvale@derbyhospitals.nhs.uk.Mobile MayDuring May outpatient areas are being asked to take upthe facility of sending patients text message remindersabout their appointments. Did you know we send outapproximately 800,000 appointment letters a year, manyof which are reminder letters? Each year, thousandsof patients miss their hospital appointments simplybecause they forget when it is. Text reminders have beenproven to substantially reduce the number of missedappointments.Reminder text messages can be sent out seven days and thentwo days before the patient’s appointment which will be inthe following format as long as your outpatient service isregistered for the text reminder service.Sample text: SMS REMINDER: , Royal Derby Hospital. Not attending maymean discharge back to your GP. To re-arrange: 01332786657 dhft.appointment@nhs.netTo find out more visit the ‘Text Messaging’ pages on Flo.With the increased price ofstamps, this will result in anadditional £40,000 being spenton sending out appointmentreminders. We need your helpin ensuring we are delivering abetter and more efficient servicewhen we remind patients abouttheir appointments.How can you make adifference?● If you work in outpatientsthen promote the reminderservice and obtain the patient’smobile phone number. Thenumber then needs to be addedto PAS.● Encourage patients to writedown when their appointmentdetails.FREEAppointmentReminderTEXT MESSAGEMake sure YOU don’t miss yourappointmentLeave us yourmobile phonenumber ortell us it’schanged!If you can’tmake yourappointment,please tell us,we can giveit to anotherpatient.Simply tell RECEPTION ifyou don’t wish to receivereminders6May/June 2012