Leighton Road Surgery chosen for national innovation project as it looks to connect with housebound elderly patients

The primary care practice in Leighton Buzzard successfully applied to the Fund for Innovation 2021 which invited nurses to develop ideas focused on the health improvement of people with complex needs in a primary care or community setting.

The fund is administered by the Queen’s Nursing Institute in partnership with The Burdett Trust for Nursing and project plans also needed to include a focus on the avoidance of unplanned hospital admissions.

“We feel tremendously lucky to have been chosen for this exciting project,” said Leighton Road Surgery (LRS) nursing services manager Alex McGarvey.

“During lockdown we were struck by how many patients were expressing loneliness and at the same time we were beginning to routinely use digital technology in our consultations and meetings. This prompted us to think about how we could use technology to connect our housebound patients.”

The LRS project – Flex, Connect and Share - aims to improve the physical and mental health and wellbeing of an identified cohort of housebound elderly patients with two or more comorbidities [often chronic or long-term conditions].

LRS is part of East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT), which provides primary care, mental health and community health services in Leighton Buzzard.

Dr Mohit Venkataram, ELFT Executive Director for Primary Care, said: “This project embodies how our strategy of being part of the community will come to life. During COVID we have seen a rise in people feeling isolated and our creative practice is working on finding solutions through technology.

“It is collaborative, it is patient-led and it is focused on improving the health of the Leighton Buzzard community.”

The team will create a weekly virtual coffee morning which will connect patients to one another in their own homes. The sessions will include an armchair pilates session, a short health and social education presentation and then an opportunity for the group to get together to swap stories and support each other.

They also aim to improve the group’s confidence in using technology and therefore increase their independence and close the gap that technology is at risk of creating.

Citizens Advice, police, fire brigade, social prescribers and healthcare professionals will be asked to contribute to sessions and the project will be designed by patients.

With the help of the LRS Patient Participation Group and a ‘buddy’ system all patients who would like to be involved will be supported to access the sessions and devices will be allocated on a needs basis. The project is due to start this month (January 2021). Volunteers to support the project are welcome. Full training and necessary checks would be provided by the Trust. Email [email protected] for details.