Manchester physios help crisis response service win patient safety award

Physiotherapists in Manchester are part of a multidisciplinary team which won an award for treating people in the community and preventing hospital admissions.

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Advanced practitioner in training Sophie Wallington and senior physio Hannah Harrison

Hannah Harrison, a senior physiotherapist, and Sophie Wallington, a trainee advanced practitioner, are part of the crisis response service at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

Alongside their colleagues they received the improving safety in primary care award at the 2016 Patient Safety Awards, held in Manchester this July.

The team provides a rapid response to people in the community who are experiencing a health or social care crisis.

It takes referrals from health or social care professionals and serves 36 GP practices, with a patient a population of more than 189,000.

Ms Harrison said: ‘By being there from the beginning of the patient’s journey we can have a real impact on improving their long-term health outcomes and speed of recovery.’

As well as physios the team includes an occupational therapist, two social workers, senior nurses, pharmacists, advanced nurse practitioners and assistant practitioners.

Avoiding hospital admissions

Whenever possible the team provide support to people within their own homes.

The trust claims this has helped the service to reduce hospital admissions. Its data  shows that from March 2015 to April 2016 more than 93 per cent of people who were treated in the community avoided hospital attendance in the following 28 days.

In addition the team aims to attend to 90 per cent of their patients within two hours of referral.

Author: Robert Millett

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