Frailty-ACE
BNSSG Frailty Single Point of Access
Mon-Fri (not weekends) from Wednesday 10th January 2024
The integrated, co-located BNSSG Frailty-ACE Single Point of Access team includes Primary Care, Sirona, social care and frailty specialist expertise. The SPOA receives calls from crews who are planning/ considering conveyance for a frail person (see criteria below).
We offer a clinical conversation prior to conveyance, seeking to support person-centred care and enable management at home wherever possible. To help minimise your time on scene, the Frailty-ACE team can take ownership of cases to coordinate one or more community-based services required to safely support/ manage the person's urgent care needs at home. This may include any combination of medical/ GP input (including prescribing, palliation), step up admission to BNSSG Frailty@Home (virtual ward), specialist geriatrician advice, plus step-up social care and carer support. If hospital is required, the team can facilitate access to all admission and SDEC pathways.
Call via the SevernSide Professional Line
Monday to Friday 9am-4.30pm
01172449283
This number can only be used for frail people during these hours. The call handler will ask for patient's Clinical Frailty Scale (Rockwood) and ethnicity.
When to consider calling the Frailty-ACE SPOA prior to conveyance
Please call before conveyance if:
- During operational hours (Mon-Fri 9m-4.30pm from 10.1.24)
- Patient is considered likely to require conveyance or admission to hospital
- Clinical Frailty Scale 5 or more, or aged 75+ with comorbidities (eg heart failure, COPD, CKD,
- Any clinical presentation, including
- All NEWS
- Head injuries, including on anticoagulation
- Time-critical presentations eg stroke/ MI/ sepsis especially if very frail, likely terminal event or palliative
- Category 1-5, including 999 calls, 111 or HCP referrals
Please use existing / other pathways if the following apply:
- Paramedic on scene plan is to See & Treat, including access to alternative community services via usual routes eg own GP, Urgent community response (UCR), community nurses etc
- Trauma requiring x-ray
For more information about calling CEMS or Frailty ACE SPOA
Your Feedback Matter
This is a new approach to improving joined up, coordinated urgent care at home for people who are frail. Your feedback matters - all ideas, suggestions and positive comments are welcome.
