Lily Greenwood is impressed with the Extensive Care Service
A vital service that has helped keep hundreds of the region’s most unwell people out of hospital is now available across the whole Fylde coast.
The Extensive Care Service makes sure people over 60 with two or more long-term conditions receive more coordinated support closer to their home and less in hospital.
The service has recently been made available to patients in Fleetwood, meaning it is now available for eligible patients at all GP surgeries in Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre.
It means that hundreds more people like Blackpool carer Lily Greenwood could benefit from the proactive support offered to patients to better understand and manage their conditions and dramatically reduce the need for unplanned hospital visits.
Lily’s husband Peter had a stroke in 2011, which changed aspects of his personality as well as making communication and movement difficult.
Early last year, Peter was referred into the extensive care service by his GP and, although initially resistant, Lily says it truly was the best thing for him.
She said: “It is amazing how they have everybody Peter needs to see all in one team who are really great.
“The nurses come to see Peter and do all the checks and the forms that need doing.
“I’ve got access to help that I would never have had and I can call day or night if I have any problems. I can’t say enough good things about them.
“At first I didn’t want him to come to extensive care and said I would care for him myself. You think you can do it. You think you don’t need help. But I did need help and they have been absolutely wonderful.
“I would definitely recommend the extensive care service. It wouldn’t have been the same without the service.”
Patients who are eligible for extensive care will be offered a referral into the service by their GP.
The dedicated team supports patients with all of their health and care needs in one place so they no longer have various appointments with different professionals.
Patients are allocated their own wellbeing support worker, who they meet with on a regular basis, to develop a long-term plan for their health. This includes setting a number of achievable goals which are all geared towards improving their health and wellbeing.
Dr Andrew Weatherburn, clinical lead for the service, said: “We are delighted to roll out the extensive care service to patients across the whole of the Fylde coast.
“Since we launched the service around 18 months ago, we have seen a reduction in the number of times these patients go to A&E and unplanned hospital admissions have gone down as well.
“And with tailored support from our dedicated team, our patients are receiving the information and help they need to manage their conditions in the long-term and allow them to leave the service in a much better position than when they are initially referred.”
- More information about the Extensive Care Service is available via this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wD8JqxhSIyI
- The Fylde coast health economy when referred to as a vanguard site includes the following organisations: NHS Blackpool Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG); NHS Fylde and Wyre CCG; Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust; Lancashire County Council; and Blackpool Council.
- The vanguards programme is one of the first steps towards delivering the NHS Five Year Forward View.
- Each vanguard site is taking a lead on the development of new care models which will act as the blueprints for the NHS moving forward and the inspiration to the rest of the health and care system.
For further information about this press release please call the communications team on 01253 956594.