In 2015 we experienced staffing problems with the local district nursing service. There were also concerns that housebound patients could not access important services to assess and monitor their health problems, as these were usually involving equipment at the practice.
A review of all the home visits carried out in the previous year showed that 86% of visits were for patients who could have come to the practice if the circumstances were right. This usually meant availability of transport.
Working in partnership with the Reeth and District Community Transport and Hambleton Richmondshire and Whitby Clinical Commissioning Group we set up and developed a free transport service for previously housebound patients to use to access services at the practice. The bus would also take people to luncheon clubs, the Post Office etc on the way home.
The project aimed to:
In the first year, the scheme reduced home visits by 42%, provided 55 journeys to the practice and saved 53 hours of clinician time that would have otherwise been spent driving to visits. 93% of patients using the service were 'extremely satisfied'
The transport scheme resulted in the practice being finalists in the Pulse GP Team of the Year awards in 2016.