Changes to service help improve patient care and GP workload

A NEW way of delivering a continence prescription service has been hailed a success.

Launched in Bordon and Petersfield last November and then rolled out to Waterlooville, Hayling Island, Fareham and Gosport, the scheme has seen improvements in patient care and GP practice workload.

Previously, patients using the service dealt directly with the suppliers of products, such as catheters and bags, who then sent the prescriptions to GP practices for patients to collect.

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Under the changed service, commissioned by Fareham and Gosport and south east Hampshire Clinical Commissioning Groups, patients order and deal directly with a team from Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust, based at Fareham Community Hospital.

The CCGs’ medicines management team has evaluated the impact of the scheme for patients at the Vine Group, in Waterlooville.

Jason Peett, head of medicines management, said: ‘When comparing figures for the last year with the previous year, we have found this scheme has been great news for the healthcare system.

‘It has led to a 45 per cent fall in the number of out-of-hours contacts involving patients using the continence service and a 25 per cent reduction in hospital admissions. This improvement is because of the availability of a dedicated resource to give patients specialist and personal advice.

‘The new system has considerably reduced the workload of GP practices – removing a big chunk of prescribing work.’