Elizabeth Kirsch, Government Affairs Manager Lloyds

Pharmacy Clinical Homecare (Part of Hallo Health

Group) – Written evidence (HMS0022)

Public Services Committee Homecare Medicines Services Inquiry

Submission from LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare (LPCH), August 2023.

Alongside the evidence submitted through the National Clinical Homecare Association, who represent homecare organisations across the UK, this evidence outlines an example of innovation within the homecare medicines industry and how potential reforms to establish a senior policy maker responsible for homecare might provide opportunities for more patient care closer to home and offer solutions to healthcare policy challenges.

LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare Healthcare Centres

In addition to the traditional models of homecare delivery that the Committee have explored, LloydsPharmacy Clinical Homecare is working with NHS partners to deliver healthcare centres which provide a new model of homecare medicine provision for cancer patients.

Accessible, patient-centred care is crucial in supporting those with cancer. Looking for new ways to deliver this, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and LPCH partnered to launch a new healthcare centre in Westerhope, Newcastle in April 2023. The new centre provides injection and infusion services to a range of patients, offering an alternative treatment pathway which enables local patients to be cared for in the heart of their community. The centre offers free parking, vastly reduced time in waiting rooms, and patients are able to see dedicated nurses, ensuring there is always a familiar face.

The Newcastle service operates five days a week and delivers treatment to approximately 14 patients each day, with the capacity to reach up to 20 treatments. To ensure safety, nursing teams are supported by LPCH’s highly qualified Lead Cancer Nurse and Healthcare Centre Nursing Services Manager. All our nurses are Oncology-trained and have completed their SACT passport. Nursing teams are trained in both BLS and ILS and accredited annually with the support of the Practice Development Nurse. Through the centre, our nurses see patients in their day-to-day environment, enabling our nurses to have an invaluable insight for safeguarding issues that would likely be missed in traditional hospital-led patient pathways.

The Newcastle centre is one of four LPCH healthcare centres, with each centre designed to complement the requirements of a partnered NHS Trust. The healthcare centre model releases capacity in hospitals for those who need treatment there, ultimately reducing cancer waiting times by supporting the Trusts to treat patents in line with 31 day and 62 day targets. Combined, these healthcare centres have helped NHS Trusts release over 4,707 nursing hours. This increased capacity also reduces the need for overtime in existing services, strengthening workforce resilience.

Transferring treatments which are traditionally hospital-based closer to home reduces patient anxiety, allowing patients to focus on living their lives. The healthcare centre model offers more personalised care and management and puts patients in control of their treatment with greater flexibility to arrange appointments around their schedules. Patients feedback shows that this streamlined service with significantly reduced waiting times means treatment is delivered quickly, with 93% of patients receiving treatment within 10 minutes of their appointment time. 98% of patients attending our clinics reported that the on-site parking is convenient, which reduces the stress and anxiety of clinical appointments. Through these centres, patients receive care in a clinical setting with minimal disruption ensuring that their experience is smooth and calm, away from the busy hospital setting, whilst still being safe. 99% of patients attending our clinics reported that the healthcare centre environment was equal to, somewhat better or significantly better for patients, with 97% patients likely to recommend the healthcare centre to others.

Policy recommendations

Moving forward, local centres such these, delivered in partnership with NHS Trusts, are an impactful intervention which can be adopted and scaled quickly within months. The NHS England strategy highlights the importance of treating patients closer to home to free up hospital capacity. These LPCH healthcare centres offer Trusts a way to deliver financial efficiencies without compromising the patient experience.

Healthcare centres also provide a real solution to help tackle geographical disparities in outcomes for cancer patients by reducing travel time and offering community-based treatment away from the busy hospital environment that can be tailored to meet the needs of local patients. Currently many patients are travelling long distances for treatment, with some struggling to access treatments at all. New healthcare centres could be introduced in targeted areas where access to care or patient experience is suffering.

Alongside other NCHA members, LPCH welcome the proposal discussed in the inquiry sessions for central Government responsibility for homecare medicines services. Not only would this ensure providers such as ourselves can continue to drive the best standards of care for patients, but it would also enable homecare to be part of the Government plan to tackle healthcare policy challenges. As has been mentioned throughout the inquiry, homecare provision is a growing sector with potential to transform the lives of patients and so our hope is that this inquiry enables policy change which can create a system that can adapt and innovate to deliver the very best care for patients.

11 August 2023