Rapid care and response

Our Barnet service also supports rapid transfer home from UCC/A&E to avoid hospital admission. Care is handed over to mainstream services within a few days - typically on day three, maximum day five.

Our rapid response team provides your patient with urgent community health care within 2 hours to avoid a health crisis and possible hospital admission.

Call 03000 200 655 (option 2) any day between 8am and 8pm, or email Clcht.unplannedcarebarnet@nhs.net

You can speak to a clinician for advice and book a visit from the service.
 

Referral forms

• Single referral form (PDF)
• Single referral form (Word doc)
   

Waiting times

Referrals will be received and processed between 8am and 8pm, within two hours.
 

Inclusion

• Over 18 years of age
• Resident in London Borough of Barnet
• Assessed as safe to be at home with this service by a GP

The service will also accept referrals if a reciprocal SLA are in place with neighbouring commissioners.

The service is unable to support people whose primary presenting problem is for mental health services, but the service is able to work with mental health colleagues if the person has both mental health and physical health needs and where a joint plan with local Mental Health teams can be rapidly implemented.

Any patients who appear to pose a risk of violence towards nurses may also be excluded from the service, if an acceptable risk management plan cannot be implemented, and in line with the requirements of the contract.

The Brent integrated rapid response team manage a range of conditions including acute exacerbations and complications of long-term conditions in the community for the purpose of avoiding and preventing unnecessary hospital admissions.

Our team

We are a multi-disciplinary team made up of a consultant physician, dietitian and pharmacist, in addition to nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, therapy technicians, social workers

We assess patients in their own home within two hours of a telephone referral. We are also based in the emergency department of Northwick Park Hospital, assessing patients to prevent hospital admissions. 

Who we see

Our clinicians are available to discuss any queries relating to your patient’s presenting complaint and care management. The following is an indication of the conditions where we may be able to help:

• Cellulitis and other infections
• Chest infections
• COPD exacerbations
• Crisis which may result in inappropriate hospital admission
• Dizziness
• DVT (housebound patients)
• Falls
• Heart failure
• Interim support for unstable diabetes Gastroenteritis
• IV antibiotics and IV Furosemide
• Nebuliser therapy
• Pain management
• Poorly controlled hypertension
• Reduced mobility
• Supporting palliative, end of life patients for symptom control
• Urinary retention
• UTIs

We do not deal with the following conditions:

• acute abdomen
• chest pain
• exacerbation of asthma
• pulmonary embolism

and any other acute medical condition which may be inappropriate to manage at home.

Operating hours and referral information

Our operating hours are from 08:00 to 22:30 on Monday to Sunday (including bank holidays).  

Referrals to the integrated rapid response team are accepted between the hours of 08:00 and 20:00.

Referrals will come through to the Brent single point of access (SPA). The SPA will be available from 08:00 to 17:00. Outside of the SPA opening times, please use the SPA number and your call will be routed directly to the clinical teams that operate out of these hours. To contact the SPA, telephone 020 8102 3456 (option three and then option one) or email clcht.brentspa@nhs.net.

Download our Brent rapid response referral form.

Referrals to our rapid response team will only be accepted when accompanied with a telephone call.

Harrow rapid response is a prevention of admission service that visits patients at home, to assess and provide treatment to prevent an unnecessary admission to hospital.

We are a multi-disciplinary team that consist of nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, therapy technicians, rehabilitation assistants, with links to a social worker.

We assess patients within two hours of the referral and can provide nursing and therapy input, and also provide personal care if required.

There is a team member located in the A&E department at Northwick Park Hospital, assessing patients for discharge to prevent an unnecessary admission to an acute bed, with follow up at home from the team.
 

Who can refer?

Harrow GPs, out of hours doctors, London Ambulance Service (LAS), district nurses, specialist nurses and local A&E departments.

• Phone (option 2): 0300 555 8889 for both health professionals and patients
• Email: clcht.harrowrapidresponse@nhs.net
   

​Inclusion and exclusion criteria 

Inclusion 

• Harrow GP
• Over 18 years of age

Exclusion 

• Patients under 18
• No Harrow GP
• Sudden acute medical problems such as abdominal pain, chest pain, PE or severe difficulty in breathing (DIB)
• Acute, severe asthma
• Illness or Infections where the patient is systemically unwell has suspected sepsis OR red flags
• Mental health problems as primary presentation
• Alcohol or substance abuse or intoxication, non-compliant patient or self-discharged.

Harrow referral information