In October 2024, we launched our rapid response service. Operating across our full geographical area, the service provides at-home care, for up to 72 hours at a time, for patients who are experiencing acute symptoms or whose health is rapidly deteriorating.
In the first three months of this new service, our rapid response team saw 85 patients in 45 different locations across the heart of Devon. The team provided specialist support to patients and their families, including fitting syringe drivers to provide a steady flow of medication and administering seven ‘just in case’ medicines.
Syringe drivers are small battery-powered pumps that help to keep patients comfortable and manage symptoms by delivering medicines through a small tube just under the skin. ‘Just in case’ medicines are medicines that can be given quickly if a patient has sudden distressing symptoms, such as nausea, breathlessness, pain or agitation.
Since launching late last year, our rapid response is going from strength to strength with positive feedback from patients and family members, and from colleagues in our other clinical teams.
A member of Hospiscare’s community nursing team says, “Having the rapid response team has greatly supported us. We’ve also had positive feedback from patients and family members about paramedic Patch Scrivens, saying that Patch was very supportive and kind, always took the time to listen to their concerns and nothing was too much trouble for him.”
We are delighted that we have now fully recruited to the rapid response team with the aim for the service to run seven days-a-week by the beginning of April. This will provide even greater support to patients, especially when needing to rely on out-of-hours services.
