New early intervention vehicle

New early intervention vehicle to help keep mid Essex residents out of hospital

EEAST, in collaboration with NHS Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), has launched a specialist vehicle offering patients urgent care support in their own home. The service has the additional benefit of helping people to avoiding unnecessary trips to hospital.

The mid Essex early intervention vehicle will be staffed exclusively by advanced paramedics specialising in urgent care. They will respond to appropriately triaged patients who can safely receive assessment and treatment at home, such as those with uncomplicated infections or who need wound care which would otherwise need a visit to ED. The paramedics can also refer patients needing additional support directly into other NHS services for ongoing care needs.

As well as improving the experience patients have when accessing care by allowing them to remain at home where they are most comfortable, the vehicle will also take pressure off hospital emergency departments while freeing up ambulances to attend to those in greater clinical need.

Vanessa Ince, Interim General Manager for mid Essex, said: “I am really excited by the launch of the early intervention vehicle, which is the culmination of several months’ hard work between the Trust and CCG.

“I’m sure that it will prove to be a very valuable resource, not only by helping us to deliver the right care to our patients at the right time and in the right place, but also by reducing demand for our emergency ambulances.”

Paramedics working on the early intervention vehicle have advanced assessment and treatment options available, as well as enhanced access to community and hospital services. They will operate for 12 hours a day, seven days a week during a six-month pilot, which has been commissioned by NHS Mid Essex CCG.

Viv Barker, Deputy Director of Nursing at Mid Essex CCG, said: “This new service is very welcome as our acute hospitals continue to experience high pressure. Offering urgent care to people in their own homes will give them rapid support with the potential for some cases to avoid hospital altogether.”

Published 18th February 2021