Birmingham GP organisation South Doc Services (SDS) has pioneered a free-to-use support service for all the care homes in the city by using telephone and video technology.
The seven-day-a-week Virtual Support Service for Care Homes enables every care service to safely access a team of specialist GPs, advanced nurse practitioners and clinical pharmacists, giving those who are most at risk the experience of face-to-face time with experts.
Along with providing residents with skilled primary care support, the virtual approach helps reduce the risks of coronavirus infection for NHS key workers delivering this service.
If necessary, however, care home patients will still receive a visit from primary care professionals.
SDS’s Virtual Support Service for Care Homes was commissioned by Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group, in response to the rapid surge of coronavirus cases in Birmingham care homes.
SDS is non-profit making GP co-operative based in south Birmingham. More than 200 Birmingham care facilities are on-board with the scheme, it said.
Bromford Lane Care Centre manager Judy Williams added: “We’re really pleased to be able to use the new Virtual Support Service for Care Homes.”
“The service is fast and responsive – it’s a huge relief to be able to access specialist advice from doctors. It’s also good to have people who really care about our home, our residents and our staff.”
