With no cardiac cath lab services on-site, Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust patients who required angiography or angioplasty needed to attend or be transferred to Glenfield Hospital, Leicester. The Trust wanted to provide their own Cardiac Catheterisation service for the local population rather than having to send their patients to a tertiary hospital.
The ideal model of service delivery would be to have two separate buildings for a Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory and Chest Pain Unit within the cardiac ward area to provide new facilities for outpatient cardiac investigations and then invasive diagnostic and treatment procedures in close proximity.
With the same core values at the heart of both organisations, InHealth and the Trust recognised that by working together, this ideal local cardiac facility could become a reality. Over the ensuing four years, InHealth worked closely with the team at Queen’s Hospital to develop the right service facilities and patient journey.
It was important to ensure all departments, specialities and teams were involved and actively engaged in the service development. Patient feedback about the existing and proposed new service was sought to understand the needs and concerns of patients and the community. The Trust engaged with the local CCG for their approval and activity funding, and InHealth registered the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory service with the CQC.
By providing the new departments adjacent to the Coronary Care Unit, with easy access from the hospital corridors and road, the services are aligned to deliver an efficient patient journey. Our waiting time for all procedures is very short at around 2-3 weeks, and appointments are typically provided within 7-14 days, providing smooth turn-around from assessment to procedure.
Having two adjacent units offers the opportunity to foster joint working relationships between the various disciplines, which not only boosts staff morale but also provides added opportunities for staff.
The facility receives on average 125 patients a month, for a variety of appointments and procedures, all of which are booked and managed by the Trust.
We have been overwhelmed by the response to the development of this unit. This is a really exciting event for the hospital which we hope will underline how beneficial this will be for thousands of patients in coming years. InHealth has been invaluable with their professional input and we now look forward to working with them to deliver these important services to our patients.
