We have launched a brand-new ventilation home visit service that will benefit people across the east of England by offering seamless specialist care for patients on home mechanical ventilation.
The service will be lead by our respiratory support and sleep centre (RSSC), which provides long-term respiratory support in the community for over 1,500 people across the east of England with ventilatory failure. Ventilatory failure may result from a diverse range of respiratory, neuromuscular, and chest wall disorders.
Patients are usually referred to the RSSC for a specialist assessment and their treatment is initiated in hospital. Patients who can be supported on ventilation at home are asked to come back into the RSSC in Cambridge for subsequent check-ups.
Most of these patients receive non-invasive ventilation, but some require tracheostomy ventilation and need to have their tracheostomy replaced every four weeks. In several cases, travelling to Cambridge for subsequent appointments is extremely difficult. Patients who are wheelchair-bound or bed-bound, for example, need to travel by ambulance.
(l-r) Susan, Steph, Rhys, Earl and Maya from Royal Papworth's multidisciplinary specialist ventilation home visit service
Funding from Cambridgeshire & Peterborough integrated care system (ICS) means that Royal Papworth can provide a dedicated service that takes their specialist hospital-level of care out to patients on home mechanical ventilation.
Not only will the service save people with the most complex needs from having to travel to Cambridge for follow-ups, but it will provide seamless care to vulnerable patients who need it most.
Our new dedicated community service aligns with recommendations in Lord Darzi’s 2024 report to bring hospital care closer to people’s homes.
Instead of the RSSC responding with an outreach service when possible, patients who are suitable for a home visit will be referred to the specialist ventilatory community service.
Dr Ian Smith, Medical Director at Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Dr Ian Smith, Medical Director at Royal Papworth Hospital said:
“This new service is part of Royal Papworth’s commitment to take specialist care out into the community, closer to where people live, and ideally in their own homes.
“This will help to address health inequalities reaching patients who might otherwise struggle to access specialist services.”
Rhys Hurst (far right) with colleagues from the specialist ventilatory community service
Rhys Hurst is Lead Advanced Clinical Practitioner for the specialist ventilatory community service:
“Keeping patients well is the main driver and care closer to home is so important.
“This innovative, patient-centred service ensures that individuals receive tailored, pro-active, and flexible support at the right time, in the right setting, from the right team.
“I hope we’ll soon see the benefits of providing our outreach service to communities across the east of England. We hope it will help relieve pressure on the RSSC, our ambulance service and general hospitals across the region.”