Care home visiting service leads innovative project
A service run by Torbay General Practice (TGP) is playing a lead role in a new initiative to transform the care of people in their own homes.
Torbay Care Home Visiting Service (TCHVS) delivered training and support for Kit4Care – a pilot project that enables domiciliary carers to take basic clinical observations, escalate care when required and manage the health of housebound clients more efficiently.
Staff from four Torbay care providers benefitted from TCHVS practical skills training, which included using the ‘Blue Box’ – a device that measures vital signs, records photos, performs assessments – and dealing potential queries from patients.
Nicci Hilson, Paignton and Brixham Primary Care Network manager, said: “It was really exciting to see the skills, knowledge and enthusiasm in the room. We recognise that domiciliary carers are often the experts in their clients, know them well and can often determine they are unwell before the client knows.
“The teams involved in the project have a real passion for care, and its fantastic to be able to utilise that to increase patient care.”
This complemented previous training in the use of RESTORE2 – a tool that helps staff recognise the ‘soft signs’ of deterioration in residents – equipping carers with the skills they need to take part in Kit4Care.
The eight-week pilot involves caring for 30 clients with complex medical needs from across Torbay.
Carers will take weekly readings to establish individual patients’ ‘normal’ observations, which are uploaded to a secure cloud. They also add other comments and observations to complete an SBAR form – a communication tool that enables information to be transferred accurately between individuals during crucial situations.
When the blue box software triggers an alert or the carer is concerned, an email is sent to the TCHVS. The service’s allied health professions (nurse or paramedics) then review and download this in to EMIS (a computer system used by the NHS), before assessing the patient remotely.
If the CHVS team are unable to complete the episode of care remotely or the patient needs a home visit, their triage is recorded and the information passed to the registered practice, which will provide for onward care or make a further decision.
Nicci added: “The aim is to demonstrate the skills and knowledge that exist within our domiciliary care teams, supported by timely clinical intervention can help keep patients well, and in their own home appropriately.
“The use of digital tools to assist with clinical decision making, coupled with the carer’s own knowledge of the client is an invaluable partnership. If the project can prove it has an impact on use of primary and secondary care services, we hope to be able to secure additional funding to roll out equipment and training to all providers in Torbay.”
Torbay General Practice (TGP) is a collective of ten GP practices that work together to benefit patients across Torbay.
These are Compass House Medical Centres, Pembroke House Surgery, Chilcote Surgery, Southover Medical Practice, Brunel Medical Practice, Chelston Hall Surgery, Croft Hall Medical Practice, Mayfield Medical Centre, Corner Place Surgery, Old Farm Surgery.
TGP’s work includes the extended hours service, covid vaccination service and TCHVS, which are all run and staffed on behalf of all the practices.
TCHVS is a specialist team of local NHS GPs, nurses, paramedics and pharmacists that support care home patients throughout Torbay. The service aims to start treatment earlier and reduce hospital admissions among care home patients, while also supporting GP practices by reducing their workload.
It was formed by TGP to address local issues as the Torbay area has one of the highest numbers of care home beds in England and this patient group often has significant medical needs.