Care-home OAPs overstretch A&E

HUNDREDS of frail pensioners in private nursing homes are being needlessly sent to North Staffordshire's under-pressure accident unit.

Figures obtained by The Sentinel show a quarter of the 1,400 pensioners a year taken by ambulance from homes do not end up needing a bed at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire (UHNS).

Now the local NHS has ordered extra community matrons into some homes to try to limit the number needlessly sent to A&E.

Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act name three homes as the worst offenders for sending patients to A&E:

The 168-bed Stadium Court, Cobridge, which sent 104 patients to A&E in just six months earlier this year.

The 171-bed Bradwell Hall, Bradwell, which sent 85 patients over the same period.

The 48-bed Westfield Lodge, Weston Coyney, which referred 72 patients.

And at Stadium Court – Stoke-on-Trent's biggest home – the matrons have changed their rounds to Fridays, after it emerged staff were sending three times as many residents to hospital on that day of the week than any other.

The data has been collected as part of a study into why A&E is so busy, to try to avoid last winter's problems, which saw patients waiting hours on trolleys.

Each ambulance attendance at the UHNS A&E unit costs the area's NHS £100, with 999 calls costing an extra £32.

One GP said: "The names of the small number of homes which most use ambulances and A&E have been banded about for some time and are almost common knowledge."

The analysis estimated about 360 emergency referrals a year from North Staffordshire nursing homes could be prevented – leaving more hospital beds and staff free to care for sicker patients.

Health campaigners last night welcomed the move, which they say was already easing A&E delays.

Ian Syme, North Staffordshire Healthwatch co-ordinator, pictured left, said: "We know a small group of nursing homes were showing a high number of hospital referrals. When that was identified, the primary care trusts acted quickly to send in community matrons and that has brought the figures down."

Julia Bridgewater, hospital chief executive, said: "Community matrons and GP ward rounds being changed to Fridays at some nursing homes has contributed to the improving A&E performance."

A Westfield Lodge spokesman said: "The safety and care of our frail, elderly residents is of paramount importance. We would always seek specialist medical advice as a precaution in the best interests of our residents' wellbeing."

Lynn Garner, Bradwell Hall matron, said: "We only send patients if they are genuinely ill enough to need to go to hospital."

Tim Seal, regional director for Bupa care homes, which runs Stadium Court, said:"If the GP's advice is they are in need of specialist hospital treatment, we act immediately to ensure they get the right care. Anything else would be failing in our duty of care."