Hospital consultation shapes services
Community or hospital? This was one of the questions Sandwell and West Birmingham Clinical Commissioning Group asked Agewell to gauge opinion about recently to ensure local clinics meet local needs.
Agewell carried out a patient questionnaire at four clinics at the Neptune Health Centre in Tipton and Rowley Regis Hospital.
Patients having an ECG or seeing a consultant were asked a range of questions about the community cardiology service. These included whether they preferred a community or hospital setting and whether the service met their needs.
The CCG also asked Agewell to get a snapshot of why people are visiting the Accident & Emergency department at Sandwell Hospital.
We undertook several two hour sessions at A&E finding out whether patients were aware of the other services available such as NHS Direct, local pharmacies and walk-in surgeries.
We also handed out details of these alternative services in a bid to ease congestion at A&E and ensure local people receive the most appropriate medical attention.