Islington Complex Hospital at Home

Patient Information Leaflet

What is the Islington Complex Hospital at Home service?

• We are a special team of health professionals who can deliver personalised, timely and responsive healthcare, in your own home, when you are unwell.
• This team consists of;
  • A Geriatrician (Doctor for older people)
  • Nurses
  • Occupational Therapists (to help you improve your ability to do everyday tasks if you're having difficulties)
  • Physiotherapists
  • Healthcare Assistants
  • Therapy Assistants
• We work closely with the hospital, your GP, and other community services.
• We can help you with common conditions like chest infections, heart failure, frailty (a sudden weakening of your movement), falls, and confusion.
• We can come and see you in your home or speak with you over the telephone or online.

Why have I been referred to Islington Complex Hospital at Home?

• You have developed or are recovering from a serious illness.
• Your hospital Doctor has assessed you and said that you can go home, with our support, as a safe alternative to being in hospital.
• With your permission, they will pass on necessary information to us.

What can Islington Complex Hospital at Home do for me?

• Depending on the problems you have, we will send a Community Matron (Senior Nurse) and/or a therapist to assess you.
• They will ask you questions about your health, any recent changes, and/or new symptoms.
• They may perform physical examinations, measurements, and blood tests to understand your current health.
• The team will discuss your case and make recommendations on treatments, arrange any further visits, and may refer you to other teams.
• We will explain this to you and involve you in the decisions.
• If your mobility (walking) is affected by illness or injury, our Occupational Therapist and Physiotherapist will see you.
• They can provide equipment (walking or manual handling aids) or adaptions to make day to day life at home easier.
• The therapists will also be involved in assessing whether you need carer support.
• If you need extra help while you are unwell, we can send our healthcare assistants to provide you with short-term support.
• For example, we can offer you support with personal care (bathing, dressing and using the toilet), preparing meals, remind you to take your medication regularly and shopping.

Remote monitoring under Hospital at Home

• Remote monitoring allows us to support you safely at home using health monitoring devices.
• By reviewing your readings daily, clinicians can track your recovery and identify any concerns early, allowing timely support if you become unwell.
• You will receive devices with instructions on how to set them up and use them.
• During your care, your readings will be monitored daily by the clinical team, and we will contact you regularly by phone to check on your progress.
• A clinician will also visit you at least once.
• If your readings show any concerns, we will contact you and provide advice and support as needed.

Does this mean I no longer need to go back to hospital?

• Although we aim to treat you at home, this may not always be possible.
• You might have to go to the hospital if you need tests that can only be done in a hospital (X-rays and scans) or if your condition changes and it is not safe for you to remain at home.
• Our service does not replace your routine hospital, outpatient clinic appointments. However, if you have any planned appointments while you are unwell, we can advise if they need to be rearranged.

How long will I stay on the Islington Complex Hospital at Home for?

• This depends on how long it takes for you to recover. In general, we can look after you in your own home for up to 14 days.
• Once you are well enough to be discharged from our care, we will send a letter to your GP.
• This letter will contain your treatment information. If necessary, we will arrange appointments with other community services.
• If you need long term personal care, we will arrange this with Adult Social Services. We will discuss this with you in more detail.

Who do I contact about my care, while I am with the Islington Complex Hospital at Home team?

• While under the care of the Islington Complex Hospital at Home, you can speak to one of the team members on 020 7288 3670, option 1 (8am to 8pm, 7 days a week).
• If medical help is needed between 8pm to 8am, please call 999.
• For queries about medicines, please contact the Whittington Medicines Information centre on 020 7288 5758 (Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm).

Your Islington Complex Hospital at Home Team

You have been seen today by: ________________________________________

Nurse/OT/ PT/HCA/Pharmacist/ Paramedic/ Dr___________________________

Your first appointment was on: ________________________________________

My first care call was on: _____________________ at __________ AM/PM

Carers will visit me ______ times-a-day up until __________________________

Note: While Islington Complex Hospital at Home service is looking after you, your regular care service (or Package of Care - POC) will pause. Islington Complex Hospital at Home team will take care of you instead. Your usual care will start again when you leave the Hospital at Home service.

Feedback

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Contact our service

• Islington Complex Hospital at Home team
• Tel.: 020 7288 3670 (Option 1) Monday to Sunday 8 am to 8 pm.