Letterkenny University Hospital is to begin working with the National Ambulance Service this year on a new service for the care of older people who dial 999/112.
The ‘Pathfinder’ alternative care pathway is one of a number of measures being taken at the hospital to address overcrowding at the Emergency Department (ED). In recent weeks, ambulances have been delayed in the handover of patients at the Emergency Department due to high patient numbers and staffing.
Tony Canavan, CEO, Saolta University Health Care Group, said that Pathfinder will be implemented to keep vulnerable older people who have phoned 999/112 in their own home rather than transporting them to the ED for assessment.
Commenting in response to a query from Chair of the HSE Regional Health Forum Councillor Gerry McMonagle on LUH ED delays, Mr Canavan said: “A specific team of staff will be employed to deliver this service including Advanced Paramedics (AP), Occupational Therapists (OT) and Physiotherapists (PT), will include a Rapid Response Vehicle (RRV) and an Electronic Patient Care Record (EPCR).”
Letterkenny University Hospital will be one of a number of locations to introduce the new pathway.
When it is necessary for the patient to travel to hospital, Pathfinder can manage a more planned interaction with the ED which aims to benefit both the patient and those working at the hospital.
Mr Canavan said the current situation at Letterkenny University Hospital has been “extremely challenging” for patients and staff.
He said: “This winter we are really seeing the suppressed impact of the pandemic in the number of patients who are now coming forward for treatment having delayed previously or who managed to get by, the number of patients who have COVID-19 in hospital, ongoing outbreaks in hospitals and ongoing outbreaks in residential care facilities which affect the hospitals’ ability to discharge patients once their hospital treatment has been completed.”
This week the number of patients with COVID-19 in Letterkenny University Hospital has reached over 80 patients
on numerous days.
Mr Canavan added: “The number of patients presenting at the ED each day remains very high. The hospital is taking every measure available to address this including the use of additional escalation beds; these are beds that are not in full time use (while staff recruitment to open these beds is underway) which have been opened on a temporary basis by bringing in additional agency staff and by existing staff working additional hours.
“The hospital is also deploying additional doctors, nurses and support staff to the Emergency Department to address the additional pressures. Every effort is being made to discharge patients who were ready to go home so that beds become available for patients who need to be admitted, at the earliest opportunity.”
John Joe Mc Gowan, Chief Ambulance Officer with the HSE West said that continuous extensive engagement is ongoing daily between the National Ambulance service and Hospitals in relation to the rise in 999 calls and handover delays. The National Ambulance Service is considering a range of other steps to protect their capacity to respond to 999 calls, such as Fit2Sit, Rapid Handover Protocol and NAS Cohorting.
