Health and social care organisations across West Yorkshire have been working together to improve the delivery of care this winter.

Learning from pressures on services last year, hospitals in our area have introduced a range of initiatives to meet the challenges of winter demand through comprehensive planning and innovation.

From ‘streaming’ in emergency departments – taking a brief history and performing basic observations within 15 minutes of arrival to support triage to the most appropriate services – to putting in place specialist teams working on patient-centred discharge plans and transfers of care, hospitals are better prepared than ever before.

Earlier this year at Airedale Hospital, a purpose-built acute assessment unit co-located next to the emergency department, opened. The unit works with the emergency department to stream patients to the most appropriate clinical area, making sure they’re getting the right assessments and tests in the right place first time. The unit includes a specialist area which carries out initial investigations and procedures for patients who need urgent assessment. They are then either discharged or admitted into a specialty ward for treatment. Previously these patients would have been admitted for tests for up to 48 hours.

Stacey Hunter, Chief Operating Officer of Airedale NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The aim of the unit is to rapidly assess patients without necessarily admitting them. A patient who may need a number of tests is, if they are well enough, able to go home and potentially return for further investigations, or discharged with a treatment plan. This is a better experience for them, and means that beds are available for our sickest patients who need them most.”

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has implemented a new policy to better support patients’ choices to avoid long hospital stays this winter. The Trust, and its partners, is committed to a ‘home first’ approach with every effort made to support people to be discharged home or to their usual place of residence. Teams of specialists from health and social care work closely with patients and their families to discuss plans for discharge throughout their time in hospital, ensuring they are able to make an informed choice about plans for discharge and any ongoing care.

Dawn Marshall, Deputy Chief Nurse for Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust said:

“We want to help patients go home as quickly as possible when they no longer need hospital care. We know that long stays in hospital can be associated with some increased risks, including infections and reduced mobility, so going home sooner is much better for ongoing recovery.

“Our multi-disciplinary teams work closely with patients and their families to discuss plans for discharge throughout their stay in hospital. This includes assessing what kind of support patients may need when they leave hospital and the best place for them to receive this care.

“We are committed to making sure patients and families have all of the information they need to make decisions about their options after leaving hospital and feel supported to do so.”

Like all hospitals, Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust is taking infection control and prevention very seriously this winter. The Trust has in place a point of care test to identify influenza early and allow for safe placement of patients. Patients, who present with a history of flu-like symptoms, will have a flu test with results available within 15 minutes, allowing staff to diagnose faster, and make appropriate treatment decisions.

Trudie Davies, Chief Operating Officer at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “Being able to quickly identify and isolate patients with flu means we are helping to prevent the spread of the virus. Young children, older people, pregnant women and people with certain chronic health conditions generally have a weaker immune system making them more susceptible to complications from flu. It is therefore imperative we do all we can to further support these groups of patients, which is why we will be opening a dedicated flu ward should the need arise.”

NHS England’s Joint Medical Director for Yorkshire and the Humber, Dr Paul Twomey adds: “The NHS has plans in place for the additional pressures that winter brings. We are building on our work from last year and will be monitoring the system across the region to help resolve issues.

“Patients should remember that it’s vital to get help early if you become unwell. You can now access your GP in the evening and weekends and local pharmacists can help with minor illnesses. If you need urgent health advice, call 111.”