COPD Enhanced Respiratory Tele-Consult Service is a new remote consultation facility designed to support PCNs and practices during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The core aim of the project is to improve COPD and respiratory patient care whilst reducing face-to-face contact with healthcare staff in this critical context.
Practices will have the opportunity to strengthen their current respiratory patient management systems via two different services delivered by Interface Clinical Services (Interface) and Primary Care Wirral (PCW).
COPD Patient Reviews
The ‘COPD Therapy Review Service’ offers COPD patients the benefit of full clinical reviews by Interface Clinical Pharmacists (CPs) specialising in telephone consultations.
The service includes full medical pharmacological and non-pharmacological reviews of patients symptoms and current management plans.
Practices will also be granted access to the COPD eQIpped, a data analysis platform aimed at complementing the existing work undertaken by healthcare professionals within their respective practices.
This is a medical service designed to assist practices with implementing a systematic approach to the management of COPD patients, which in turn is expected to help reduce symptoms and lower the risk of exacerbations.
The service is funded by GlaxoSmithKline UK Limited, developed by Interface Clinical Services and GlaxoSmithKline UK Limited, and delivered as a service to medicine by Interface Clinical Services.
Practice Nurse Support Team
In addition, PCW will deliver in-house assistance via the ‘Practice Nurse Respiratory Support Team’, a peer mentorship programme aimed at enhancing clinical and tele-consultation skills for GP Nurses (GPNs) with respiratory backgrounds.
Appointed Practice Nurses will be mentored and trained by Clinical Lead and Respiratory Nurse, Julie Morris.
The nursing team will support patients who present COPD and other respiratory conditions in managing new symptoms effectively, in accordance with current clinical guidance, particularly in relation to Covid-19.
Practice Nurses will provide remote consultations with patients and create personalised care plans aimed at reducing the impact and severity of their symptoms.
As part of the project, designated GPNs will play a key role in facilitating a population health approach to patient care.
Practice Nurses will work to improve the holistic wellbeing of vulnerable individuals by linking them with additional support teams, including Wellbeing Practitioners and the ABL Wirral Smoking and Nicotine Cessation Service.
Whilst the service is delivered by PCW, project management costs are supported by a grant from GlaxoSmithKline UK Limited, with GlaxoSmithKline having no other input into the project.
Supporting PCNs and Practices During Covid-19
The COPD Enhanced Respiratory Tele-Consult Service is one of the PCW initiatives designed to assist practices during the coronavirus crisis.
In this case, the focus is to guarantee comprehensive support and clinical interventions for vulnerable individuals, despite the need to reduce direct contact with patients caused by the pandemic.
“COVID-19 has placed unprecedented stress on primary and secondary care, with added pressure on teams managing respiratory vulnerable patients,” said Julie Morris.
“Remote consultations allow a systematic monitoring of symptoms and identification of potential risks for exacerbations.
“This facilitates the design of care plans and pharmacological modifications at an early stage, increasing the possibilities to keep patients out of hospital.”
Current Development
COPD Enhanced Respiratory Tele-Consult Service is currently supplied to Healthier South Wirral, Brighter Birkenhead, Wallasey Wellbeing and Healthier West Wirral PCNs, but the offer is open to all local GP networks.
If you think your PCN can benefit from this service, please do not hesitate to contact the project’s Operational Lead, Debbie Wilson.