Urgent Community Response
Urgent Community Response [UCR]:
Actions 2023:
- Baseline obtained with input from stakeholders via the UCR Maturity Matrix template and submitted to the regional team. All areas are continuing to work towards achieving the KLOEs, linking their UCR to wider integrated UEC and IC systems as well as progressing on the nine clinical priorities.
- Efforts to improve data quality are continuing – and data is now flowing from seven Trusts out of eight into the national UCR dashboard.
- Based on published data in the UCR dashboard – NENC is achieving the planning target of reaching 70% of 2-hour crisis response demand within 2 hours.
- Evaluation of the UCR ‘pull model’ from the NEAS stack (category 3 and 4 calls), piloted in Tees Valley pilot, was presented to UCR Task and Finish Group at the December meeting. Early findings are promising. Given the ongoing system pressures and challenges our ambulance colleagues are facing, expressions of interest from other areas to test the ‘pull’ model are being sought.
- In January an extended UCR Task and Finish Group meeting was held to explore how to join better technology enabled care (TEC) services, urgent community response services and the ambulance service using the Warrington case study as an exemplar. Discussions are taking place in support of TEC services being certified using the national Quality Standards Framework (an outcomes-based auditing scheme that puts quality and safety at the heart of service delivery). As part of this certification, TEC providers are required to complete training on the national Decision Support Tool, which is being rolled out to enable a consistent approach to onward referral linked to level of risk and urgency.
- North Cumbria community falls response service pilot commenced on 30 December 2022, along with a pathway route injurious falls into the urgent community response team.
- Regarding care homes, service development funding is being made available to support a project aimed at reducing unnecessary ambulance callouts for falls and improve outcomes for residents in three care homes (St Martins), through the provision of lifting equipment and upskilling of care staff to increase their confidence in managing non-injurious falls. The project will commence in February/March when the equipment is available. An evaluation of the project will be undertaken, and the report presented to the Ageing Well Steering Group in June 2023.
- CSDS Onboarding – steady progress onboarding Phase 5 providers continues. First successful test submission completed by Durham County Council.
- Work is progressing on the Ageing Well Theamatic Plan – UCR will be a key feature and will align with the requirements set out in the 2023/24 Priorities and Operational Planning Guidance and the Delivery Plan for Recovering Urgent and Emergency Care Services
Actions 2022:
- Workplan established, together with a UCR ICS working group
- Set up and continued support for onboarding to CSDS across all phases. April onwards for phase 5-7
- Set up T&F group to explore data / quality and assurance for reporting into ICS, regional and national teams. Scoping with regional and national teams, discuss further national work on ‘measuring success of UCR’ via national policy unit
- Set up a T&F group to explore UCR pathway models for sharing / standardisation across the ICS (e.g. falls, digital-enable care – NHS finder tool, decision to admit tool etc.). Mapping out prioritisation pathways via NEAS team (e.g. falls, catheter care, care homes and pendant alarms)
- Build on further conversation around Hospital Discharge, Virtual Wards, SDEC related to older people and frailty (e.g. learning) to align Community Health and Discharge
- Start to explore 2-day reablement provision across the region in preparation for 2023/24. Explore some mapping across ICS via the BCF and LA colleagues
- Align UCR governance with wider Ageing Well and Community Health /Discharge as part of the Intermediate Care Framework.
