Delivering health services closer to patients’ homes

Jul 4 2008 by Karen Wilson, The Journal

NORTHUMBRIA consultants are delivering services closer to patients’ homes by holding clinics in a local health centre.

Consultants in orthopaedics, general surgery and pain management hold clinics at Ponteland Primarycare Centre. This means that patients can have their outpatient appointments and aftercare within their GP surgery.

Ann Wright, director of Elective Care at Northumbria Healthcare, explained: “We’ve developed a really excellent working relationship with Ponteland Medical Group which is allowing us to see patients more quickly and in some cases treat them the same day.

“GPs refer patients, but instead of patients having to travel to the hospital, our consultants go to them. Any tests needed to help diagnose the problem are carried out in advance and the test results are available to the consultant when he sees the patient.”

Consultants are able to access any scan or x-ray images on their PC from Ponteland Medical Group using a special computer system named PACS (Picture Archiving Communication System).

Orthopaedic surgeon Christopher Gibbons, who specialises in the upper limbs, carries out small procedures in the on-site minor operating theatre.

He explained: “The nature of some procedures that I perform allows a local anaesthetic to be used. There is an on-site minor operating theatre at the primary care centre, allowing me to offer some patients a very quick service.

“Patients are often very impressed that they are seen quickly and may have their condition treated on the same day, close to home and without having to travel to hospital.”

Consultants working from the primary care centre are orthopaedic surgeons Paul Partington and Christopher Gibbons, upper gastro intestinal surgeon Sadiq Bawa and Ian Yellowlees an anaesthetist who specialises in pain management.

The scheme is so successful that two more services, gynaecology and medicine, are expected to start clinics later this month.