GP
NEWS
March 2015
Welcome I
t’s full steam ahead for the Trust in 2015. We continue developing to meet the growing needs of our patients, working in partnership with you - our GP colleagues - and community healthcare workers.
This edition of GP News is a mix of clinical and practically-based information. We focus on ophthalmology, where there have been significant changes, both in the clinical services as well as new research and development projects. In addition, there is news on the new paediatric orthopaedic services and the newly opened Endoscopy Unit. The Acute Medical Unit doors are also now open, and the latest details are featured in this newsletter. We are making good progress addressing the areas highlighted in our recent CQC inspection, which rated the Trust as ‘Requires Improvement’, but rated us ‘Good’ for being a caring organisation. More detail will follow in future editions. On to practical matters. The Choose and Book system has been singled out for attention from your feedback, and we mention some current and future developments in this area. As a refresher at the start of a new year, we have also included contact information you need to get the clinical and practical assistance you require from the Trust. It’s a year since GP News was re-launched by the Trust, and it’s crucial we keep the publication relevant to your requirements. So please, send your feedback to GPFeedback@thh.nhs.uk. Abbas Khakoo, Medical Director
Choose and Book
T
he Choose and Book (C&B) system launched in 2004!
Vijaya Kololgi, Outpatient Appointments Manager, explained that within the 30 London hospitals using C&B, the Hillingdon Hospitals rank fourth in monthly outpatient appointments booked. A typical month sees 3,500 appointments booked. In the last eight months the proportion of outpatient appointments booked through C&B at Hillingdon Hospital has grown from 55 per cent (April) to 64 per cent (December). Within the Hillingdon CCG the use of C&B by different GP practices varies from 83 per cent down to eight per cent. Vijaya and her team are ready to help GPs increase their use of C&B and can be contacted on 01895 279 363 or thh-tr.bookingcentre@nhs.net. GPs and administrators should ensure that patient contact details sent through to the Outpatient Appointment Centre are accurate and up-to-date. This helps speed up the process for patients and reduce DNA rates. Spring 2015 will see the launch of the next generation of C&B called ‘e-Referral Service’ (eRS). It is being designed, with input from patients, administrators and clinicians, to make referrals paperlight by 2018!
Acute Medical Unit
T
he new 46-bed Acute Medical Unit (AMU) signals better care for patients.
In last autumn’s GP News we carried the story of the planned opening of a brand new AMU facility. 15 December 2014 saw the project successfully come to fruition when the old Emergency Admissions Unit in the tower block closed and relocated into the new £12.3m AMU next to the busy A&E Department. Key benefits of the new unit include: • • • •
Faster transfer for A&E patients needing admission for investigation and assessment ‘One stop’ service from a multidisciplinary clinical team 46 beds divided into seven bed bays, three clinical rooms and six side rooms Negative pressure room to treat patients with infectious diseases.
Further information can be obtained from Dr Mark Edwards: mark.edwards@thh.nhs.uk.
What’s Inside: • Paediatric orthopaedics • Focus on ophthalmology • New Endoscopy Unit