Countywide iCAN programme introduces improvements in our acute hospitals | Latest updates

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Countywide iCAN programme introduces improvements in our acute hospitals

Male nurse and female doctor looking at a computer screen on a hospital ward

Over 3,400 patients each year receive intravenous antibiotics (IVAB) at Northampton General Hospital on medicine wards. Half of these patients could be de-escalated, saving over 3,000 bed days each year.

As part of the countywide iCAN programme, a trial took place from April until May at Northampton General Hospital to decrease the average length of an IVAB course. Reducing the length of time an older or frail patient is on IVAB will then decrease their length of stay in hospital. Improving this is one of the key aims of the iCAN programme.

The key to making this trial work was improving communication within the team. This was achieved through daily team emails and ward rounds. During ward rounds, the nursing team review each person currently on IVAB and ensure this appropriate for their needs.

The trial was successful, and the changes are now business as usual for all wards at NGH. As a result, length of stay improved from 14 days to 8.9 days. This is a difference of over 5 days. Wards that introduced this way of working slightly later have seen an improvement of 2.5 days so far.
 

Kettering General Hospital has introduced a new prioritisation system to manage X-ray reporting for their older and frail patients. Previously, this meant inpatients used to have their X-ray report prioritised last. This could be after someone who has been referred in via a GP or through A&E for example. However, inpatients are waiting in a bed during this time as well.

Now, thanks to the new system, the patients who are a greater priority  (in a hospital bed) have their X-ray report written up quicker. This has meant an overall improvement of seeing the results two days quicker than before. Because of this, people can leave hospital earlier if appropriate and get care in the community if needed.

Since the new prioritisation system over 85% of inpatients were reported within two days. There has not been a negative effect on the other patient groups with 99% of GP scans reported within two days and 74% of A&E scans reported within three days.

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