The Adult Assessment Unit (AAU) hub at Barnet Hospital provides rapid access to multi-specialty and medical ambulatory pathways for acute and elderly care patients.

All patients referred to the AAU hub  will be assessed, and it will be determined whether the patient needs to be seen on the same day or in a hot clinic in the same week. The AAU hub clinical team will be responsible for the AAU hub hot clinic allocation.

Patients referred by GPs to the AAU hub will be accepted, without the need to go via the Emergency Department (ED). Suitable ED patients referred to the AAU hub will be rapidly moved out of ED, and into the hub for assessment and treatment. 

Medical Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) offers specialist assessment, diagnosis and treatment to patients on the same day of arrival who would otherwise have been admitted to a ward, with the intention of discharging them on the same day if clinically safe to do so.

Hot clinics offer the same as above but for patients who are deemed as lower priority and not required to be seen on the same day or as needing a follow up appointment later in the week. 

Hospital at Home (step-up)

Barnet Hospital at Home provide acute care and treatment to patients for a diverse range of conditions in their own homes.

The target population is patients who are pre-medically optimised or at high risk of immediate admission or readmission and who have an expected length of stay of up to 14 days.

Barnet runs two virtual ward pathways: 

• Hospital @ Home – this is for patients with enhanced nursing or therapy needs who are suitable to be treated at home with face to face visits from nurses or therapists.
• Remote Monitoring – this is for patients who don't require face to face visits and can be monitored remotely using technology provided to them.

Acute Frailty Unit

The Acute Frailty Unit provides specialist geriatric medicine multi-disciplinary intervention. It is a designated assessment and treatment area with frail patients. 

All patients referred to the Acute Frailty Unit will go through the AAU hub navigator single point of access and follow the agreed pathways/criteria. Patients will receive a comprehensive geriatric assessment and input from the full MDT to support them to return home as quickly as possible. 

The frailty team work alongside the AAU team and the ED team to proactively transfer patients from ED who are deemed appropriate. 

• The Acute Frailty Unit runs Monday-Friday 8:00-17:00 for patients ≥ 65 years old. 

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• aged 18+
• aged 70+ for Geriatric Hot Clinics
• resident of Barnet or Enfield.

Exclusions

• transfusions and infusions.

How to Refer

Referrals can be received from GP, ED, wards and 111, with the aim of admission avoidance or facilitated discharge.