NESCHA were part of a successful bid to the AHSN for this interesting project which is being undertaken in partnership with two GP practices and three pharmacies. In essence, patients ringing their GP for an appointment in the belief of a need for antibiotics for a chest infection, are asked to go to their local pharmacist for a quick and simple blood test. They are briefed and given their result and if needs be they receive a fast track GP appointment for antibiotics if needed. If there is little or no indication of a need for antibiotics then the pharmacist can supply other treatments and a potential re-test.
To date the project appears to be working well to the benefit of the patients and the GPs. NESCHA have provided an information leaflet and an ex-planation and request to do follow up calls to ask how patients feel about the process.
Interviewed by Matt Bailey at 7.10am on 29th July about NESCHA views on imminent Andy Burnham announcement later that morning. I was greatly encouraged by his feedback ( he said it was interesting and ran over time!) and wrote the paper attached.
I never dreamt that one day I would be living the system!.
Sadly Robert my co-author , died when I was in hospital some years ago but my wife visited daily and then she lived with a diagnosois mixed dementia for over four years, was admitted to hospital last October and, following a rapid discharge to a care home, died peacefully in December .
Despite a professional background in social work and years spent working on improving health and care systems, nothing fully prepares you for living that experience. It brought into sharp focus both the compassion of frontline staff and the frustrations families can face when services are not as joined-up or consistent as they should be.
NHS de-frazzle new book and brilliant review