Suitability for NBT SEC
Generic principle
Patients should be considered for SDEC unless there is a high likelihood of them needing an inpatient admission.
SDEC exclusions
NEWS of 5 or above OR scoring 3 in any one NEWS parameter.
Unable to sit in a chair or requiring a hoist.
Acute confusion/delirium - unlikely the patient can be safely discharged that day
Likely infective diarrhoea or vomiting
Please note: Covid 19 (suspected or confirmed) is no longer an exclusion criteria for SDEC.
They are happy to see chest pain. Those requiring lengthy same day transfusions at SDEC can still be directed here- they will redirect if required to 31A.
Consider MDU as an option for blood transfusions wherever possible
Advice to give to patients directed to SDEC
- Location : Gate 36 (1 floor up above ED). Patients can arrive via ED entrance and make their way to Gate 36 from there
- Ask patients to arrive ASAP (earlier the better).
- Patients can arrive between 08:00-18:00 Mon -Fri ( for weekends see below) .
- Please advise that patients may have a long wait to be seen and will be at the hospital for several hours and will need to wait in SDEC alone (unless clinical need for someone to attend with them).
SDEC consultant phone 08:00 – 19:00 01174149217
Please make good use of the consultant phone to check suitability for SDEC, discuss borderline cases, discuss if cases could be deferred until the next morning, etc
Next Day Deferral
You can defer patients to arrive the next day (eg. upper limb DVT) in which case, ask the patient to attend SDEC at 10:00, the unit is open 10:00-16:00 on weekends, and make their arrival date/time clear in your “take list summary”.
If SDEC reaches maximum capacity, they will phone us to let us know. Please then direct patients to 31ASS but add a note in your take list summary “Suitable for SDEC but has reached capacity so 31A SS”. That way, patients can be redirected to SDEC if space becomes available.
- Click here for the full NBT AEC Operational Policy