East of England Ambulance Service scheme for care home residents cuts hospital admissions by 75%
An East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust scheme for the elderly in Hertfordshire and West Essex has reduced hospital admissions by 75% in two years.
The Hertfordshire Admission Avoidance Response Car (HAARC) is run by specialist and advanced paramedics and treats care home residents.
The scheme has been championed by Avril Meares, a finalist for the Excellence in Patient Care Award at this year’s Stars of EEAST awards.
HAARC runs from 6.30am to 11pm, seven days a week across 142 residential and nursing care homes. The team provides advice and support, as well as treating falls, head injuries, wounds, burns, allergic reactions, and soft tissue injuries.
Avril, a specialist paramedic, said: “The scheme started in 2014, working with 20 care homes. We’ve now expanded to over 140. I work closely with the care homes in our area to avoid unnecessary A&E attendances and hospital admissions, as well as training care home staff.
“A large percentage of our residents live with some cognitive impairment. We advocate for them and are their voice when required, treating them holistically and often liaising with their relatives to ensure timely and appropriate care.
“I also educate our new members of staff on both schemes and encourage them to contact us as a source of advice for issues around frailty care, a subject that I am passionate about. “It’s something none of us can avoid because ultimately most of us will have the pleasure of living to a ‘vintage’ age ourselves.”
In the last two years, HAARC has responded to over 5,000 jobs in care homes, with a 75% discharge on-scene rate. This is in addition to a further 1,010 category one 999 jobs with a 52% discharge on scene rate.
Alongside frontline services, the team works with care homes, GP surgeries and community health services to avoid unnecessary A&E attendances and hospital admissions by delivering training in falls and basic wound care.
Avril added: “I am also involved in the development of our local urgent care community hub, which provides community services to residents across the area.
“We monitor and identify suitable jobs on the 999 stack, liaise with crews already on scene and redirect them, where suitable, to appropriate community services.
“This reduces pressure on frontline services and ensures that patients receive the right care at the right time and in the right place.”