NHS winter crisis can be avoided with ambulatory care, say doctors

[Northerner]

The NHS could help avoid a winter crisis this year by treating thousands more patients in ambulatory care units (ACUs), allowing people to go home the day they arrive, doctors say.

Many more patients with blood clots, infections, seizures and anaemia could be treated in ACUs on the day and then discharged so they do not need to occupy a bed at a time when the NHS is under intense strain.

Ambulatory care is used for patients who have a serious illness that can safely be managed at home after a spell of treatment if support is available.

Dr Nick Scriven, the president of the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), urged hospitals with an ACU to send more patients there and said ministers should fund units at hospitals that did not have them.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...n-be-avoided-with-ambulatory-care-say-doctors

 

[Lucy Honeychurch]

In a bygone era that would have been a GP or district nurse 🙄

 

[Amigo]

The NHS could help avoid a winter crisis this year by treating thousands more patients in ambulatory care units (ACUs), allowing people to go home the day they arrive, doctors say.

Many more patients with blood clots, infections, seizures and anaemia could be treated in ACUs on the day and then discharged so they do not need to occupy a bed at a time when the NHS is under intense strain.

Ambulatory care is used for patients who have a serious illness that can safely be managed at home after a spell of treatment if support is available.

Dr Nick Scriven, the president of the Society for Acute Medicine (SAM), urged hospitals with an ACU to send more patients there and said ministers should fund units at hospitals that did not have them.

https://www.theguardian.com/society...n-be-avoided-with-ambulatory-care-say-doctors

My local hospital automatically send you there from A&E. It’s like a huge gymnasium with dozens of bays and frankly not a good place to be. Last time I was in there a poor old guy with dementia was screaming and swearing for hours and as I was pretty ill and knew they’d need to admit me, I told them I was recovering from norovirus. They got me out of there sharpish and into a nice quiet single room! Naughty I know but this cattle truck approach to medicine doesn’t appeal to me.

I do agree with the day response to certain conditions however but most end up on Wards from there for social reasons.

 

[trophywench]

I don't think we have one at either of our hospitals, but there again how would I know unless I frequented A&E? LOL