A SYSTEM enabling patients in South Tyneside to be discharged more quickly earned a top award.
The project, improving patient care at South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust, has been hailed by UK healthcare professionals.
It was given the ‘People’s Choice’ award at the national 5th Lean Healthcare Academy Conference and Awards event in Leeds.
South Tyneside NHS Foundation Trust’s chief executive Lorraine Lambert said: “It is gratifying as it was voted for by our peers. This shows they consider we are making a difference and ours is an example they would wish to follow.”
The initiative, shortlisted for ‘sharing best practice’, focuses on ensuring a patient’s stay in South Tyneside District Hospital is not extended beyond their care need.
Piloted last year at the Harton Lane hospital, it has been implemented on surgical and elderly care wards. Introduction of standard documents, which follow the patient from A&E to emergency assessment and to a ward, has resulted in a 30-minute reduction in the time it takes staff to do paperwork.
In November, there was an increase of almost eight per cent in the number of patients being discharged home by noon and a 63 per cent decrease in patients being moved to wards outside the speciality for which they were treated.
Electronic boards flag up patients ready for discharge; identify where multi-disciplinary teams are required; relay handover details and highlight available beds.
Sam Carman, manager of the trust’s emergency assessment unit and patient flow co-ordinator, said: “One of our main aims in introducing this was to ensure patients are not moved to wards outside the speciality for which they are admitted and that their stay is no longer than necessary.”
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