A scheme to provide acute

nursing care within patients'

own homes and avoid unnecessary

hospital admissions is

being rolled out across

Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion

The Acute Response Team

(ART) is already hugely successful

in Carmarthenshire,

reducing hospital admissions

annually by 1,217 patients,

equating to approximately

12,170 bed days. The scheme

provides a rapid and intense

care for patients within their

own homes and also allows

for the earlier discharge of

those who need initial hospital

admission.

Now, thanks to a successful

funding bid to the Welsh

Assembly Government, acute

response will be integrated

with the existing community

nursing services through-out

the new health board area.

Chief executive Trevor Purt

said: "I would like to thank the

team behind this funding bid,

who presented 'Dragon's Den'

style, as this is exactly the sort

of innovation that our new

organisation will be championing

over the coming years.

"Patients have told us that

they do not want to be in hospital

unless absolutely necessary

and community teams

like ART are helping facilitate

care closer to the community

and empowering patients to

better manage their own condition.

"This has obvious benefits

to the individuals and also

ensures that as a health service

we are making the best use of

our community and hospital

resources," he added.

The service, which provides

intense care for a limited period

of no more than 10 days,

can provide care for patients

with exacerbation of chronic

conditions, dehydration, pneumonia,

infections, anaemia

and end stage illness, amongst

others. Interventions include

intravenous antibiotics, rehydration

therapies, blood

transfusions and rapid access

to registered nursing support

and health care support workers.

ART team manager Sarah

Nicholas explained: "We provide

a range of interventions

to patients with varied needs

and the response from service

users has been overwhelmingly

positive. Patients have told

us they are more comfortable

within their own homes and

that their care is therefore less

disruptive and traumatic.

"We are delighted that we

will now be able to offer this

to patients across our region

and we are looking forward to

working with colleagues in

Ceredigion and

Pembrokeshire."

Chairman Chris Martin

added: "I am absolutely

delighted that this worthwhile

scheme will now be fully

accessible across the three

counties in our region.

"It is just one example of

how we are working to bring

care to the people, rather than

people to the hospital."