Expected increase in children and young people suffering with viral illnesses in York
A pilot scheme is being launched to offer a bespoke and dedicated GP and paediatric nurse-led service.
There's an increase in children and young people suffering with viral illnesses in York.
Healthcare teams in York have come together to set up a pilot scheme to help prevent babies and young children coming into hospital with breathing difficulties.
The pilot offers a bespoke and dedicated GP and paediatric nurse-led service, which will manage children under the age of two years with bronchiolitis, who do not need an admission to the Children’s Wards at the hospital.
Instead, they will be seen by an experienced children’s nurse from York Hospital, working alongside a GP, in a child and family friendly ‘Hub’ at Askham Bar. It offers a dedicated GP and paediatric nurse-led service, which will manage children under the age of two years with bronchiolitis.
Professor Mike Holmes is Chair of Nimbuscare, and a GP at the Haxby Group: "We're really excited to be launching this new service, which is a collaboration between Nimbuscare (general practice in York) and York and Scarborough NHS Foundation Trust (local hospital in the city).
"What we're trying to do is provide a service where we can assess and observe children under the age of 2 who may be suffering from viral illness - this particular virus called RSV which causes wheezing in young children.
"When a GP assesses them it's sometimes clear that they can be managed at home; sometimes it's clear that they need to go to hospital. However, there are some children in the middle where the decision is not clear - this service is for them.
"They can come up to Askham Bar, and we can assess them between a GP and a paediatric nurse specialist so it feels like a safe environment.
"As we're approaching winter what we're seeing is increasing numbers of children and young people suffering from viral illnesses, and what we saw was a surge of up to 80 extra cases a day coming into the A&E services in York.
"We got together to work out a way to support these families without them needing to come into A&E. We'll pilot this scheme for two months in York, and hopefully if it's successful we can continue it".
Sal Katib, Head of Children’s Nursing at York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust explained: "In child health we are expecting a significant surge in demand for children less than two years of age with respiratory viruses and bronchiolitis. This is not unusual but this year it’s predicted to be very challenging due to the relaxation of social distancing measures, which during the last 18 months has reduced viral infections in children.
"To manage this predicted surge the idea for a community hub was agreed. The purpose is to manage those children who are not unwell enough to require a hospital admission, and to safely identify those who do."
The pilot scheme, which will begin on 4 October, will follow set criteria which allow children who need further monitoring and assessment to be directed to the Askham Bar Healthcare Village. Once there, clinicians from Nimbuscare and a children’s nurse from the hospital will work with families and carers to monitor babies for up to six hours. The hub will be open from 4pm until 10pm each evening.
Ianthe Abbey, Consultant Paediatrician at the Trust, added: "The service, available during the early evening, will offer advice, assessment and a joined up approach between healthcare professionals. This will ensure that babies and young children receive the best possible care and advice at the right time, in the right place."