In December 2021, First Community launched a new Urgent Community Response (UCR) service which aims to provide a two-hour response to patients to avoid unnecessary hospital admissions.
Patients are referred to the service from community healthcare professionals, paramedics, NHS 111 and GPs for conditions such as reduced mobility, confusion or after experiencing a fall.
The service is staffed with health care workers who are multi skilled, knowledgeable, and adaptable to respond to the varying and often complex needs of patients being referred.
The national average for a patient to be seen within two hours for such a service is 74%, however First Community are managing an average of 91%.
Demand for the service is growing month on month from 34 referrals in December to over 60 referrals in June 2022.
Feedback from patients has been very positive with one commenting: “The team’s support for my 95-year-old mother has been exemplary over the last two days.
"All members of the team have been very knowledgeable and very courteous. The service is a wonderful way to ensure elderly people are kept out of hospital and treated promptly."
First Community plan to continue to develop this service with our partners across east Surrey to provide first-rate health care to our patients and local community.
For more information about our Urgent Community Response Service, please visit: https://www.firstcommunityhealthcare.co.uk/what-we-do/community-and-out…