Alan Treharne
Hywel Dda University Health Board
Project Background:
COVID recovery in gynaecology has received much focus but remains inefficient, with multiple appointments needed to treat common gynaecological complaints.
Within Ceredigion, there was a need to develop community services to address this through developing a new one stop service, avoiding the need for excess travel and multiple appointments. This approach greatly improves the patient experience and exemplifies prudent healthcare in action.
Project Aims and Objectives:
To provide access to essential health care services for women in Hywel Dda, particularly focusing on menopausal health in a rural setting, providing efficient prudent healthcare.
- To develop a new clinic structure, contributing to a more prudent model of healthcare delivery.
- To provide access to improved community-based care services for patients in Ceredigion/ Hywel Dda.
- To develop a new integrated menopause service specifically assessing irregular bleeding on HRT.
- To reduce the need for in hospital treatment and inpatient operating, providing care closer to home.
- To look at ways of integrating new technological advancements into everyday practice.
Project Outcomes:
- The establishment of a novel irregular bleed clinic for patients on HRT only, creating a streamlined assessment and clinic structure
- Successful trial of a paperless system of note recording
- The significant resource release therefore developing increased capacity for cancer pathway patient
- The table demonstrates the calculation of key resource release from the project, created by the new model, saving on a consultant appointment and one ultrasound clinic
The flow diagrams highlight the new clinic structure that has been streamlined to incorporate three specialist skills in one setting
Project Impact:
- A streamlined service reducing multiple appointments and unnecessary clinical time
- Released over £73,000 / year of resources
- Created an additional 276 cancer pathway diagnostic appointments, as a result
- Reduced the burden on diagnostic radiology
