VULNERABLE patients at Warrington are getting one hour appointments thanks to an NHS pilot scheme.
People with Long Term Conditions (LTCs) get extra time with nurses to better manage their health.
Nurse Practitioner Vivien Stevens, 59, who is working on the pilot scheme, said: “I really enjoy seeing people go out feeling happier.
“They might have had the condition for years but this is the first time someone has been able to sit down with them for an hour and go through things in detail.”
Warrington Clinical Commissioning Group, the NHS body for Warrington, has funded the three month pilot for Padgate Medical Centre and its Woolston branch, and also for Holes Lane Surgery and Fairfield Surgery.
Patients attend the Woolston Hub branch and complete a short questionnaire with Guided Care receptionist Lauren Halliwell, 21.
Then they have a review of their lifestyle, family life, medication, and blood test results, and the two nurses involved arrange for referrals and follows ups.
People still have their normal access to their GP – the extra ppointments are an added bonus.
The pilot has picked up many cases of low mood and social isolation and people have been referred to Warrington’s Wellbeing Mentors.
The scheme is designed to try and reduce the number of times a patient attends their GP for chronic disease management reviews.
It focuses on three LTCs – Diabetes (which affects around seven per cent of people in Warrington), Cardiovascular Disease (11.2 per cent) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (2.9 per cent).
Vivien said: “One young man was a diabetic eating lots of biscuits and sweets.
“After the review he said ‘OK you have convinced me’ and he went out saying he would make changes to his life.”
The nurses are overseen by Dr Liz Iles who said: “It’s proving to be valuable and popular with those who have attended, although it has only been running a short time.”
Dr Andy Davies, chairman of Warrington CCG, said: “We’re committed to modernising the NHS in Warrington.
“The number of Long Term Conditions is growing and the NHS has been struggling to meet the demand by working in the traditional way.
“The pilot scheme looks to have been working well and we will be evaluating it in September.”
Picture: Diabetic patient Ralph Holmes, 80, with Nurse Practitioner Vivien Stevens
Vulnerable LTC patients receive TLC
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Gary Skentelbery
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.
