Health Minister Simon Hamilton has commended the work of the Rapid Response Nursing Service during a visit to the Western Area Trust today.
The Rapid Response Nursing Service is a community based Acute Nursing Service which operates from 8.00am to 12midnight, seven days per week to provide acute nursing care to patients in their local area and where required in their own home.
During a visit to the rapid response team at the Tyrone County Hospital today, Health Minister Simon Hamilton said: "The Rapid Response nursing team is an invaluable service which aims to prevent admission to hospital and to facilitate early discharge, which are both key to the delivery of Transforming Your Care.
“This approach also helps reduce our hospital acquired infections by ensuring that patients with infections who do not need to be hospitalised, and can be treated in their home/local community."
The Rapid Response Teams work closely with the Hospital Consultants and General Practitioners to determine the treatments required which can range from blood transfusions and intravenous antibiotics to providing an Out of Hours District Nursing Service from 5.00pm to 12midnight.
In June 2013, the first Rapid Response Clinical Intervention Centre opened in the Tyrone County Hospital, Omagh. During 2014 a second Clinical Intervention Centre was opened in Londonderry with a final centre now being planned for the Fermanagh area.
Chairman of the Western Health and Social Care Trust, Gerard Guckian said: "I was delighted to welcome Minister Hamilton to Omagh on his first official visit to the Western Trust.
"During the visit I was pleased to show the minister the vital service provided by our Rapid Response Team in the Tyrone County Hospital, Omagh. The team facilitates the early discharge of patients back into the community where they can receive treatment in the comfort of their own homes. The team continues to have a tremendous impact on integrating hospital and community care and in improving the overall quality of healthcare received by patients and clients. I am pleased to be able to showcase to the Minister an excellent example of Transforming Your Care working already for the benefit of patients.”
Following the visit the Minister also took the opportunity to visit Avalon House, a modern facility providing short break care services for children and young people who have a diagnosis of learning disability, physical disability and/or autism.
Mr Guckian continued: “Minister Hamilton also took the time to visit Avalon House, a modern respite centre for children and young people with disabilities and their families. The Minister was able to meet staff at the facility which adopts a ‘home from home’ philosophy and has been ensuring positive experiences for both children and their families since its opening in 2011.”
Notes to editors:
1. There are three Rapid Response Nursing teams within the Western Trust:
- Omagh Team based at the Tyrone County Hospital, Omagh
- Fermanagh Team based at the South West Acute Hospital, Enniskillen
- Londonderry, Limavady and Strabane Team, based at Gransha Park, Londonderry
2. Media enquiries about this press release to DHSSPS Press Office on 028 9052 0575, or out of office hours contact to Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.