Clinically-proven procedures
Controlled by consultants
Real-time reporting
Top
Reduced administration
Optimise time
Gem Healthcare developed the chemotherapy at home service in conjunction with consultants. The procedures are based on clinically-proven techniques and are being increasingly accepted as providing an effective alternative to hospital-based treatment with important benefits for patients.
The Department of Health, in the publication "Our health, our care, our say: making it happen", reported that local services are "central to supporting independence and quality of life for the growing numbers of people with long-term needs, for whom care truly starts in the home." The Department has been working closely with the Royal Colleges and speciality associations to investigate how care currently provided in hospitals can be made more local and convenient. It has identified 30 innovative sites that have adopted various approaches, including home chemotherapy.
Reports in the UK point to a growing number of NHS Trusts also piloting schemes as part of a wider medicine in the community initiative. A specialist service based at The North Wales Cancer Treatment Centre and in Conwy and Denbighshire Community delivered chemotherapy at home, resulting in 1,920 less visits to hospital in a single year. Hambledon and Richmondshire PCT is running a pilot scheme for patients with bowel cancer, and a similar nurse-led scheme operates from the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Patients in Weston-Super-Mare benefit from a Hospice at home scheme.
TopControlled by consultants
In the Gem Healthcare service, the consultant sets out and controls a treatment programme with trained nurses managing patient care using drugs dispensed from our own production pharmacy. The production pharmacy ensures that drugs are always available when they are needed.
TopReal-time reporting
Consultants told us that it was critical to offer a service that didn't just deliver quality treatment - they wanted the service to incorporate a robust, real-time reporting system that ensured effective communication and left the consultant in control. Experience from pilot schemes indicates that the success of any home service depends on the clarity of communication between multi-disciplinary teams in the hospital and the community.
- Real-time patient status reporting keeps consultants in control.
- Clinically-proven procedures using highly-qualified nurses.
- Fully-managed service enables consultants to optimise time.
- Provides access to scarce resources.
Reduced administration
Our nurses use laptops with special software to record all details of the patient treatment. This information is electronically sent to the consultant as soon as the treatment is completed, so that reporting occurs effectively in real time. This level of reporting means that consultants always have an up-to-date picture of the patient's status and progress. The real-time reporting system also reduces the amount of paperwork required, helping to reduce the administrative burden.
TopOptimise time
Using home-based services enables consultants to make better use of scarce resources and provides access to specialist skills. With nurses providing the essential care, administration and patient management, consultants can optimise their time and manage their private patient loads more effectively.
TopCopyright in content © 2009, Gem Healthcare.
