Outsourcing is the solution to meeting cold weather demands, says Omni Healthcare

With hospital trusts already missing national A&E admission targets, and with the worst winter in decades being predicted by forecasters, along with the inevitable upswing in patient demand, how are hard pressed trusts to respond?

The national A&E target of 95% of patients to be admitted or discharged within four hours has been consistently breached since mid July, belying the predicted summer lull. If ambulance activity levels replicate the pattern of last winter, when they rose by some 60 – 70%, and the expected influx of European migrants materialises in the New Year, the system will pass the tipping point unless contingency plans are made now.

Services and trusts must therefore consider innovative ways to increase capacity and capability within existing budgets, driving down unit hour costs, while building in faster response times and ensuring that an appropriate level of patient care is provided at all times. Driving efficiencies in the delivery of a pre-and post hospital care service will do much to relieve system pressures.

The simple solution to meet anticipated but as yet unquantifiable and temporary upsurges in patient demand is to outsource services. Pre and post admission care can be contracted out for a set period, usually without having to undergo a tendering process, under emergency regulations.

Omni Healthcare is well equipped to provide a number of these outsourced services, including:

Urgent tier transport

In the event of a stable patient needing to visit hospital, or simply transfer between points of care - this is especially important during the winter, when services can be strained – we’re there to fill the gaps.

NEPTS

We’re able to provide contingency NEPTS resources to back-fill training of current NEPTS staff to A&E standard, thereby relieving pressure throughout the system.

Frontline ambulance services

We offer frontline paramedic DCA (double crewed ambulances) – another element of our outsourced services - which means that ambulance trusts can be confident that they are able to deliver to those in need while achieving A 19 standard.

Rapid response cars

Targeted at drive zones of five miles, in line with predictive software and demand, our cars deliver A8 response times to ALS standards until an ambulance presents at the scene to meet A19 standards.

Staffing Solution

We can provide HCPC registered staff on an agency basis, retaining standards of governance operationally and clinically. This solution can boost resources by 80-96% when used effectively, and at a neutral cost.

We’re currently looking to recruit HCPC paramedics, IHCD Ambulance Technicians and ECA / ECSW personnel for our staff bank.

You can email us at omnihealthcare.recruitment@creategroup.uk.com or call us on 0845 672 9324 to request an application pack.