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Outpatient Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT/COpAT): WH
IslingtonHaringeyReferring clinicians should look for the closest available OPAT team.
OPAT/COpAT
The Whittington Health (WH) outpatient antimicrobial therapy (COpAT/OPAT) multi-disciplinary team (MDT) looks after and manages patients with complex/chronic infections that are well enough to leave hospital, but still need intravenous/or complex anti-infectives, or anti-infectives that require regular monitoring.
The MDT reviews the type of anti-infectives patients need and how they receive these treatments (using the modalities listed below). Patients are discussed in a weekly meeting where their blood tests, response to treatment and any scans/tests that they require are reviewed.
Team
The WH OPAT/COpAT service is a consult service which works together with parent/referring teams to treat patients using an MDT approach. The team consists of:
- one infectious diseases and microbiology consultant
- one infection pharmacist and trainee advanced clinical practitioner
- one ambulatory care nurse.
Modalities of delivery
The modalities of delivery for the WH OPAT service are:
- ambulatory care
- virtual ward
- district nurses
- self-administration.
Nurse-filled elastomerics
WH can provide antimicrobials via daily elastomeric devices. Elastomeric device trained nurses can administer/change pumps either in ambulatory care or via a virtual ward in the patient's home.
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusions
- aged 16+
- continuing need for intravenous anti-infectives/complex oral anti-infectives
- medically fit for discharge
- ability to understand OPAT/COpAT and give informed consent
- support from family or carers, particularly for elderly patients or those with multiple co-morbidities
- suitable environment for intravenous antimicrobial administration in the patient’s home if required
- ability to attend OPAT/COpAT clinic as required
- access to a telephone for rapid communication under COpAT monitoring.
How to Refer
WH OPAT team
Discuss referrals with the OPAT team before filling out the online referral form below.
Patients can be referred from across NCL if they can attend at the hospital for monitoring, OPAT reviews and administration of antimicrobials on-site.
If patients require community nursing input (e.g. district nurses or virtual ward), the service is limited to residents in Haringey and Islington.
WH OPAT online referral form
Discuss all patients with the OPAT team via the email address above prior to submitting a formal referral using the online form.
Patients can be referred from across NCL if they can attend at the hospital for monitoring, OPAT reviews and administration of antimicrobials on-site.
If patients require community nursing input (e.g. district nurses or virtual ward), the service is limited to residents in Haringey and Islington.
Locations
Whittington Hospital
Service Feedback
Downloads
Resources
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