West Midlands - Integrated Front Door Service

Integrated Front Door Service

Authors: Kirsty Donaldson (Community Lead) Trust: WHT

The Integrated Front Door Service (IFDS) has brought community nurses into the acute to identify anyone over the age of 18 who could be discharged home from the front door emergency areas, as well as deeper wards, onto alternative community pathways. Creating community service awareness, education and implementing new pathways along the way. The team are permanently based at the hospital.

Background:

The Service was launched December 2020 in response to the pandemic and is one of the first of its kind in the country. The team currently work 8am-6pm with the aim of avoiding hospital from the front door of the hospital whilst supporting wider department areas to identify patients that can otherwise be cared for at home to support earlier discharges and prevention of re-admissions.

October 2022

Where are we now:

Since its launch, the service has a focus on the front door of the hospital and directly stream patients into a community assessment unit (POD 2) outside of AAE. This allows for patients to be seen, diagnosed, treated, and referred onto community services to prevent hospital admissions. Patients are seen by senior community nurses many of whom are prescribers.

Our Success:

·Supporting in the roll out of the safe at Home and Acute Respiratory Pathway in the acute ·Introduction of Community Service Information Folders around the trust ·Introduction of Community Service Awareness presentations for community and acute staff ·Streamlining referral processes into community ·Developing pathways and promotion of new pathways

October 2022