A draft report from NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement suggested that some patients should be cared for at home by GPs and visiting nurses rather than admitting them in the hospital wards.
The draft report listed a range of conditions regularly seen in Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments that leads to hospital admissions and suggests that more could be done for reducing the numbers admitted in hospital wards.Home treatments will be a best alternative for some patients suffering with life-threatening conditions like ectopic pregnancies and blood clots on the lung - the report added.
Many doctors, who fear the drive to get patients treated in the community is accelerating in an effort to close down district general hospitals, greeted the recommendations yesterday.
The report also added that emergency admissions to hospital beds should only take place in case of acute illness that requires inpatient care and many patients could be dealt with as a day case or redirected to the care of the GP. Patients who are sent home should be given clear and easy to read document explaining their condition, symptoms to monitor for that might suggest a deterioration, the treatment process and the contact information in case of emergency.
Many doctors would support caring for more patients outside of hospital, but there were 'numerous unanswered questions" that needed to be addressed – says Dr Chaand Nagpaul from the British Medical Association.
The Department of Health said that the report is still being consulted on. It said, 'Everyone knows that more care and treatment is being carried out in the community, but at the same time decisions will always be made on the basis of clinical need.'
Advertisement
SRI
