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Panel Meeting on 3rd April 2006
5. Family Nursing and Home Care (FNHC)
The Panel met Mrs K. Huchet to discuss Family Nursing and Homecare's views on the co-operative GP out-of-hours service.
- Work of FNHC
The Panel was informed that Family Nursing and Homecare services were offered from 7:30am to 12:00am and that nurses were on call between 5:00pm and 12:00am.
The Panel was informed that nurses took phone-calls at Le Bas Centre and would need to decide whether a patient should be transferred to a GP.
The Panel was informed that 60% of referrals to FNHC came from GPs.
The Panel was informed that discussions were occurring between FNHC and Dr R. Geller, Medical Officer of Health, regarding the use of Le Bas Centre. It was further informed that some FHNC services were to be outsourced to the former La Pouquelaye School.
The Panel was informed that all nurses who undertook home visits were equipped with personal alarms. It was further informed that certain visits would be undertaken by two nurses if there were concerns regarding safety. The Panel was advised that risk assessments for potential home visits were undertaken during daytime working hours.
The Panel was informed that Family Nursing and Homecare had access to an interpreter to assist patients who did not speak English. It was further informed that one of the receptionists spoke Portuguese.
The Panel was advised that a pilot scheme for Rapid Response' had been implemented in 1999. It was further informed that this scheme involved specialist staff attending patients at their homes to avoid the use of hospital facilities. The Panel was advised this scheme had ceased due to insufficient funding but that it had run twenty-four hours a day.
- Matters Raised
During the course of its meeting with Mrs Huchet, the Panel considered the following matters:
The suggestion that the new service had been developed to meet the needs of GPs and the Department of Health and Social Services rather than of patients.
The alternatives that may have been considered during development of the proposals.
The consideration given to involving FNHC in out-of-hours service.
The Panel noted that FNHC would monitor the new out-of-hours service to see what impact would be had on it in terms of follow-up care.
Mrs Huchet offered to forward to the Panel a copy of the notes she had prepared for the meeting.
- Consultation
The Panel was advised that FNHC had not been formally approached by the Department of Health and Social Services for its view on the out-of-hours service and that FNHC had made no official approach to the Department to express this view. It was informed that Mrs Huchet had had an opportunity to discuss the matter with Mr M. Littler, Directorate Manager of Medicine.
The Panel was advised that Mrs Huchet had spoken with employees of Clinical Services on the following matters:
The cost-effectiveness of the new service.
The potential impact of the service on A&E.
The potential impact of the service on the provision of pharmaceutical products.