Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital has always been well recognised for providing excellent specialist heart and chest services. However in the last five years, we have taken our expertise out into the local communities we serve.
In particular, we have developed integrated cardiovascular and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) care models in the Knowsley borough of Merseyside, working in partnership with Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group.
These services put the clinical expertise available within LHCH in close collaboration with primary and community care. The outcome has been very successful and the service has received a number of national awards.
During 2014/15 we were delighted to be awarded a new five year Knowsley Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Service contract following a competitive tendering process. As part of the process, Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group recognised the benefits to patient outcomes that our innovative service had achieved in the previous four years.
In support of our vision ‘to be the best’, we look forward to continuing to achieve excellence through the delivery of cardiovascular care in the community.
The service has also been expanded to include direct access bookings for cardiac diagnostic tests and the Early Supported Stroke Discharge Service was extended to a seven day service.
Furthermore we were also pleased that our Knowsley Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Service was awarded an extension to November 2015 which included a fully comprehensive Home Oxygen Assessment and Review Service (HOS-AR). This service was expanded to include non COPD patients with the aim of improving care to this group of patients, with the long term plan for ALL respiratory conditions to be supported by the community team.
Services Overview
Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have been awarded the Knowsley Community Respiratory Disease Service by Knowsley CCG. Through the five years the contract runs the current COPD service will expand to include other respiratory conditions that can be safely managed within the community. Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital will be working alongside Aintree University Hospital NHS Trust, St Helens and Knowsley Hospitals NHS Trusts and Royal Liverpool University Hospital NHS Trust to deliver this new service to the people registered with the Knowsley GP Practice.
The new service commences on Monday 2nd November 2015, however until June 2016 there will be no change to the existing COPD service. Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital and Knowsley CCG will be providing more communications for the people of Knowsley and the professionals that use the service throughout this time.
The current COPD service that will continue to be delivered from 2nd November 2015 until 1st June 2016 is made up of a number of key elements that people in Knowsley with a diagnosis of COPD can access.
Accepts referrals, arranges appointments for the service and onward referral to secondary, tertiary care and other services and ensures consistent communication with registered GP.
Spirometry with consultant review of diagnosis and staging of severity of the result. Once the patient has a diagnosis of COPD then the other elements of the service are available to them. Delivery of this specialist service has significantly improved quality and accuracy of primary care disease registers for COPD.
For patients’ initial diagnosis of moderate/severe; severe or very severe COPD or following exacerbation. The MDT clinics are held in locations throughout Knowsley for the on-going management of patients with COPD.
For patients requiring oxygen therapy, with domiciliary assessments undertaken as required for housebound patients.
Community based rapid response specialist nursing and physiotherapist service providing home assessment and management of patients experiencing a worsening of their condition. This aspect of the service operates between 8am and 10 pm seven days a week/52 weeks per year with a telephone advice service delivered by specialist respiratory nurses operating outside of these hours.
Proactive engagement with clinical teams in acute hospitals to identify and support patients to return home as soon as possible and to maintain their place within the community through follow up and coordinated access to further input as required (e.g. consultant review / oxygen assessment / home based exercise physiology etc.)
A multi-disciplinary programme that is individually tailored and designed to optimise each patient’s physical and social performance and autonomy, and is delivered across multiple community sites across the borough.
Specialist symptom control and management for palliative patients at the end of their life.
Providing health-monitoring devices to help patients with COPD to live more independently and enabling early supported discharge and reducing readmission rates.
Dedicated resource within the service to be accessible through every element of the service
A full administration team is available from 9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Any administration queries to the service please use the number: 0151 600 1274
Locations of Consultant led community multi-disciplinary clinics
Use e-referral for new referrals, 5 days a week 9.00am – 5pm for the following services: Consultant LED Community MDT Clinics, Diagnostic Clinics, Oxygen Assessment Clinics and Counselling Support:
Monday – St Chads Primary Care Resource Centre (PCRC) / Whiston PCRC (alternates)
Tuesday – Bluebell PCRC
Wednesday – Manor Farm PCRC
Thursday – North Huyton PCRC / Halewood PCRC (alternates)
Friday – Tower Hill PCRC
Locations for All Other Services
Monday to Sunday, 8am - 8pm home visits for patients known to the service and on their register
8pm to 8am overnight telephone advice line
For any queries, please contact the Knowsley Community Respiratory Service Matron on 0151 254 3095.
Daily sessions in various locations across Knowsley
Home PR visits available
All patients on the COPD registered are assessed for advanced care planning and if suitable a key worker is identified. Where possible nurses will attend GP Practice GSF meetings.
Will be considered to support ESD and frequent fliers
