We provide the NHS urgent out of hours health care services in Mid Essex, Dudley, Sandwell, Heart of Birmingham, South Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Herefordshire, Scarborough, Sunderland in England and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Carmarthenshire in Wales.
We are one of the best performing out of hours service providers in the country, according to the Health Care Commission, who rated all urgent care services in 2008. Their findings demonstrate that 80% of the Primary Care Trusts who commission Primecare, perform in the ‘better’ or ‘best’ performing cohorts for the key urgent care indicators. For more information view the PCT reports at www.cqc.org.uk/publications.cfm
Cardiff University conducted an evaluation in Wales looking at the experience of patients and carers who have used the out of hours urgent care services. Primecare scored well in terms of patient satisfaction. Our services cost among the lowest per head of population, meaning that as well as offering high quality services we can also demonstrate cost-effectiveness.
Single point of access
As part of our ongoing commitment to providing seamless services, we are now the first point of contact for adult social care calls, emergency dentistry and district nursing out of hours in Herefordshire. We also provide the South Staffordshire Hub, coordinating patient care plans on behalf of referring clinicians
Integrated urgent care
We have developed a range of options with PCTs and Local Health Boards to ensure patients can access the right service at the right time and minimise the inappropriate use of secondary care. Our models of urgent care include pathways between walk-in centres, accident and emergency departments out of hours services to maximise use of resources, particularly during times when services are overlapping. In many areas Primecare services are co-located with A&E/urgent care centres. We also support the provision of staff in walk-in and urgent care centres.
Early Supported Discharge Services
Primecare has developed a service to help people come out of hospital early by putting in place teams of clinicians and carers who can quickly care for people at home, augmenting the services provided by existing NHS and social services teams. The ESD Service is currently operating in South Staffordshire.
NHS 111
In preparation for the NHS 111 urgent telephone service, Primecare is working with local stakeholders to develop care pathways so that patients experience seamless services.
Support for British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS)
Primecare provides two support services to BPAS. Our advisors staff a 24 hour action line for people considering termination of pregnancy who want to book an appointment with BPAS. We also provide a 24 hour after care telephone service for people who have had a termination of pregnancy.
Birmingham & Black Country Referral Centres
Primecare provides staff for the referral centres in Birmingham & Black Country that act as overflow clinics to ensure patients can see a GP as quickly as possible.
Working with the ambulance service
At times of high demand, Primecare supports ambulance services by taking CAT C referrals for people who could be more appropriately cared for in primary care. Primecare's walk-in centre in Dudley has developed new care pathways with the ambulance service so that non-emergency patients are brought to the walk-in centre rather than to the hospital's accident and emergency department.
Breast screening
We have worked closely with a PCT to increase the uptake of scheduled mammography appointments by pro-actively telephoning or visiting patients during the evenings and weekends.
In hours GP support
Primecare runs daily GP ward rounds and 24 hour GP support to PCT community rehabilitation facilities.
Special Allocation Schemes (SAS)
The scheme protects GPs and their staff by caring for individuals removed from practice lists. Working in partnership with primary care organisations and GP practices, Primecare provides a vital secure service to deliver general medical services to sometimes violent patients, consistent with responsibilities placed on PCOs by the Department of Health.