The intermediate care service provided by Central London Community Healthcare (CLCH) provides patients fast access (within two hours) to a multidisciplinary team.

The service aims to prevent avoidable admissions and avoid readmissions by providing support in the community.

The care process is as follows:

• contact will be made with the patient or their representative by phone, and arrangements made to visit within two hours
• initial assessment will be carried out by a qualified nurse
• patients will receive at least one visit per day
• patients will be supported within the team for up to 72 hours (on occasion, 120 hours if required)
• patients accepted on to the service will be monitored for 30 days, with this including a mixture of face-to-face visits, telephone contact, and a contact number left with the patient for them to use should they feel unwell during the 30-day period (this will be assessed at the end of the formal support).

The rapid care and response teams manage a range of conditions, including acute exacerbations and acute complications of long-term conditions, in the community. They also support frail and elderly people who have experienced a fall but do not require hospital care, and those with pneumonia or a urinary tract infection.

The service is available at short notice, into the evenings and at weekends, and it also supports rapid transfer home from urgent care centres/A&E in order to avoid hospital admission. Care is handed over to mainstream services within a few days (typically on day three, maximum day five).

The rapid response team provides patients with urgent community health care within two hours to avoid a health crisis and possible hospital admission.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusions

• residents of Barnet aged 18+
• assessed as safe to be at home with this service by a GP.

Exclusions

• homeless patients.

How to Refer