Enhancing Non-Life-Threatening Patient Care: Alternative Paths in Emergency Services

1. What are the alternatives for patients who are not life threatened? • Clinical Telephone Advice • Walk in Centres • Minor Injuries Units • Intermediate Care • Falls teams • District nurses • Mental Health Crisis Intervention Teams • Primary care • Social services • NHS Direct

2. Requires us to change: • Provide telephone advice to callers with non-serious conditions • Develop referral pathways • Send a professional who is trained in the recognition and treatment of non-life threatened, but often complex, patients

3. Education for Emergency Care Practitioners St Georges Medical School/Kingston University

4. Around the Country Merseyside – relatively clear care pathways East Anglia – strong links with GPs non escalation of cases unless necessary = basic principle, extended practice Sheffield – rotation through control & MIUs, also focus on older peoples needs Staffordshire – clear location in demand patches, CPOs senior role in service, patient focused ethos Warwickshire – v. competent practitioners, open access routes to role, clerking into acute sector West Country – strong educational package & some extensions in practice