Countdown to Christmas Day 7 - New services help thousands of people
We have launched several new mental and physical health services this year, which are already making a positive difference for thousands of people.
Many of these new services involve working closely with partner organisations, as well as offering people more choice to receive care in the best environment for their needs.
This is part of our commitment to making sure our patients receive high quality, holistic care that meets their individual needs.
Working with the East of England Ambulance Service (EEAST), we launched two mental health joint response cars (MHJRC) – one in mid and south Essex, and the other in north east Essex.
The vehicles are crewed by EEAST clinicians and mental health professionals from Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT), who attend call outs to people experiencing mental health crisis.
Hospital emergency departments are not always the right environment for people experiencing mental health difficulties, so the team offer immediate crisis care and ensure ongoing support is put in place that best meets their needs.
The mid and south Essex service has helped more than 1,160 people since it launched in April and 83 per cent of patients were cared for without needing to go to hospital.
The north east Essex service has helped 667 people since April and 54 per cent of patients were seen and cared for without needing to attend hospital.
The MHJRCs are supported by the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care Board and Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care Board.
Another new service offering crisis care is our Mental Health Urgent Care Department, based at Basildon Hospital.
The 24/7 service for adults opened in March and has helped more than 1,880 people in mid and south Essex.
Staff ensure patients receive the right care in the right place, whether that’s at home or in hospital, and work closely with community services and charities.
The department is led by EPUT and staffed by specialist doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals from EPUT, Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, and EEAST.
This year we also launched the first inpatient drug and alcohol detox service of its kind in the east of England.
The service is based on a mental health inpatient ward at The Crystal Centre in Chelmsford and helps adults to detox with the support of specialist doctors, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, and drug and alcohol support services.
Following discharge, patients are referred to community-based drug and alcohol rehabilitation services for further support to continue their recovery
The service is commissioned by Essex County Council and accepts referrals for patients across the eastern region via GPs and drug and alcohol support services.
This month also marks one year since our West Essex Virtual Hospital Service first launched.
Patients receive the same care they would receive in hospital, but at home. They are cared for by a multi-disciplinary team, who can provide a range of tests and treatments tailored to their individual needs.
The services are safe, and receiving care at home in familiar surroundings can help speed up their recovery and help them stay independent.
The West Essex Virtual Hospital has supported care for 961 people outside of a hospital environment and has received positive feedback from patients, families and carers.
The care you receive is not virtual but very much hands on, just in your own home or usual place of residence and we use technology to monitor for example, your blood pressure or heart rate remotely.
We call it a virtual hospital because there is no single roof that all our patients are together under – we travel to where you are most comfortable – in your own home.
EPUT is the lead provider of the service and works in partnership with organisations including St Clare Hospice, GPs, Essex County Council, EEAST, Hertfordshire Community Trust, and acute hospital trusts, and is supported by Hertfordshire and West Essex Integration Care Board.