Posted on: 13 January 2022

Intermediate Care  - provided by CNWL in Camden, Milton Keynes and Hillingdon - is an odd phrase which belies its importance to patients but also the NHS urgent care system as a whole.

It’s about providing the most appropriate care to people, so they don’t stay in an acute hospital ward longer than they medically need.

In Camden our Rapids Team helps move people out of acute wards (in the area’s hospitals) to support them in the community.

The figures for December  - just in - show we had the highest number of referrals on record – 292 people.

Staff achieved the highest number of avoided admissions – at least 212 people cared for in other ways which released additional capacity in the hospitals, when it was needed.

Referrals from the London Ambulance Service were also the highest number at 35 (same as August, September and October combined) – people again coming to our services rather than into a hospital bed.

We also achieved our best performance of responding within 2 hours  - at 95.6%.

Community Services Director, Katy Millard said, “Services work for the best care in the best places so the entire urgent care system works better. The Camden Team, like everywhere, are under extreme pressure from Covid,  but respond and continue to respond magnificently – helping more patients and helping the system. Really pleased to see these results from their hard work. Thank you.”