Enhanced Health in Care Homes
As part of the new National Care Home Designated Enhanced Service (Enhanced Health in Care Homes), care home staff and residents are now supported by Primary Care Networks (PCNs). PCNs are a network of GP practices and health and care staff all working together to provide care for a locality/area.
This website provides a brief explanation about what your local PCN, alongside community services, will offer you and the staff working in your care home.
For residents, you are being offered:
- Face to face / virtual assessments are given weekly if you are new to a care home or coming back from hospital
- Personalised care and support planning to meet your needs, you & your family will be included in decisions made about your health
- Support for long term illnesses & proactive care to assist you from getting unwell
- More support to ensure you get the most of out your medicines
- Ensuring you get what you want from your end-of- life care, personalised to meet your need
- Improved access to a range of specialists to meet your needs, including care home community matrons, mental health workers and pharmacists
What does is mean for staff that care for you?
- Staff will be working as part of a wider multi- disciplinary team of health care professionals, who are the people that care for you and know you best.
- Staff will benefit from:
- Easier communication with a doctor, nurse, matron, or pharmacist, alongside other MDT members to support staff caring for you
- More involvement in MDT meetings, discussing your residents care (e.g. proactively identifying and prioritising residents for review based on their clinical leads)
- Regular contact with professionals to review your residents health (face to face or virtual)
- Easier access to a team of specialists from your local health system
- Easier access to community services
- Access to shared information through digital technology
- Access to a named clinician (e.g. Matron, Pharmacist) for your home
