Treating sick children – out of hospital

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A GROUND breaking scheme to treat sick children without sending them to hospital now covers the whole of Warrington.
The Paediatric Acute Response Team (PART) manages children in the community so they don’t have to go into hospital – treating and monitoring under 18s who have illnesses like fevers, diarrhoea and urinary tract infections, which can be treated by urocarelondon.com.
Paediatric nurses from Warrington Hospital are working alongside nurses from Bridgewater Community Healthcare to provide a seamless service, with support from Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
PART is based at Bath Street in the town centre and it has just completed a successful six month pilot scheme during which there were 390 attendances.
Now it is taking referrals from doctors’ surgeries across the whole of Warrington.
The children were referred from Warrington A&E or from GP surgeries, or went for a check-up after being discharged from hospital.
Warrington CCG created PART to improve care and to avoid unnecessary A&E hospital admissions.
The Royal College of Paediatrics says 30 per cent of children’s hospital admissions are avoidable.
Dr Andy Davies, a GP at Greenbank Surgery and chairman of Warrington CCG, said: “For example a child might come to a GP or into A&E with a high temperature.
“The doctor is pretty certain the child is fine but might want some further observation just in case it’s more serious than a viral infection.
“Before the PART the only option was a hospital admission, which is often a bit of a waste of time for the parents and children.”
The team can also remove stitches, apply wound dressings, and take blood tests and will also work alongside specialist nurses to look after children with long term conditions like asthma, epilepsy and diabetes.
Dr Ipsita Chatterjee, Warrington GP and clinical lead for Children and Young People for Warrington CCG: “I am delighted that we have managed to get care closer to home for minor childhood illnesses.
“This will hopefully help and support a lot of families to look after their ill children at home without needing to attend accident and emergency department or being admitted to the hospital.”
The changes are part of Warrington CCG’s long term goal of moving health services from hospitals into the community.
Pictured: Dr Ipsita Chatterjee, front, with at rear Paediatric Nurse Amanda Turton, left, and Children’s Community Matron Sue Lawton, right.


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Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.

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