Company Profile
Company Profile
Who we are
East Lancashire Medical Services (ELMS) has provided high quality care to
patients since 1994. We are a not for profit Social Enterprise organisation
underpinning and supporting local Primary Care.
Our Head Offices are situated on Accrington Road in Blackburn, with
centres across Blackburn with Darwen & East Lancashire providing patient
care within a variety of services. The organisation employs around 200
local staff and is supported by GPs from the area who work alongside a
range of Healthcare professionals.
What ELMS does
ELMS provides a 24 hours per day, 365 days a year service to patients in
Pennine Lancashire, ranging from GP Practice appointments to Urgent
Care. Out of Hours care across the whole area is provided by ELMS who
take over the care of patients when GP surgeries / Health Centres close
in the evenings at 6.30pm, until 8am the following day; and covers all
weekends and Bank Holidays. Within ELMS’ portfolio of services are GP
Practices, a Minor Injuries Unit, a Health Access Centre, support services to
GP Specialist Clinics and staff manning the emergency dental helpline for
the local area.
Patients first
Patients are at the heart of ELMS services and have an input into the
operational and strategic elements of the organisation. The Patient Voices
Group (PVG) comprising of patient representatives from each locality,
aim to improve and shape the services provided by ELMS, collecting
feedback from Patient and Public Groups, from staff, management and
commissioners to drive improvements to the service.
1.
Company Profile
Out of Hours and Urgent Care
ELMS is committed to developing innovative ways of working to deliver
the best possible medical attention to patients in the right place, at the
right time. During the Out of Hours period (18:30 – 08:00 and 24 hours
at weekends and on bank holidays) patients requiring medical attention
telephone 111 and receive an initial assessment of their condition. If it is
deemed that the patient needs clinical intervention before their GP surgery
is next open, the patient’s details are passed through to ELMS. Patients
are then either offered an appointment at one of our 5
centres which are open at strategic times across East
Lancashire or, if medically justified are visited at
home by a GP in one of the fully equipped vehicles.
Many patients who attend the Accident
and Emergency Department do not
require the skills of A&E technicians.
ELMS GPs work within the Urgent
Care Centres at specific times
to ease the pressures on the
Department providing Primary Care
consultations to patients presenting
with conditions which are better
dealt with by GPs. This allows A&E
staff more time to deal with the
urgent and more appropriate
hospital attendances.
Company Profile
Health Access Centre (Accrington Victoria Hospital)
This is a new and innovative GP service which commenced in 2009 and
offers full primary care services to registered patients, and has a walk in
service to non-registered patients for minor illness 7 days a week between
8am & 8.30pm, including Bank Holidays. A highly qualified and skilled team
of GPs and Nurse Practitioners are available throughout the opening period
and deal with all minor illnesses such as coughs & colds through to chest
infections and asthma attacks.
Minor Injuries Unit (Rossendale Health Centre)
- a pilot scheme
The Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) provides choice for patients who may
not wish to attend the Accident & Emergency Department at the Royal
Blackburn Hospital or the Burnley Hospital Urgent Care Centre, for
treatment of a minor injury. It is open from 8am – 8pm 7 days a week and
is staffed by advanced clinicians with additional training in minor injury.
Patients with injuries such as fractures, sprains, burns or bites
can be seen and treated at the MIU.
3.
Company Profile
Acute Visiting Service (AVS) - a pilot scheme
Currently operating across the Blackburn & Darwen areas and working
alongside North West Ambulance Service, the objectives of this scheme
are to improve patient access & choice with the aim of reducing unplanned
admissions to the hospital. This service enables GP Practices to prioritise
patients who have requested a visit at home; allowing the patient to be
rapidly assessed by the AVS doctor, and in conjunction with the patient’s
own GP, look to avoid non-elective admissions to hospital. This allows
patients a genuine choice to stay at home if that is their wish.
The scheme allows GPs more routine appointment time in their own
surgeries and offers the best care for patients in the appropriate setting.
Elms Federated Practice
In 2012 ELMS was awarded the contract to provide Primary Medical
Services at 4 GP Practices in East Lancashire. Adopting innovative ways to
deliver improved Primary Care has resulted in ELMS Federated Practice,
which means the 4 practices operate as one. The Federated model
means that ELMS can provide greater flexibility across all sites which
allows patients the choice to be seen in any of the 4 Practices for a range
of services including GP appointments, prescriptions, treatment room
services, seasonal vaccination clinics and minor surgery. With patient
needs at the heart of everything we do, we welcome patients to the ELMS
Federated Practice which incorporates:
Horsfield at Colne Health Centre, Pendle Valley Mills at Yarnspinners
Nelson, Brierfield at Bierfield Health Centre and the Eagle Medical Practice
at the Acorn Primary Healthcare Centre, Accrington.
4.
Company Profile
Gp Advice
A team of dedicated GPs is available to provide telephone advice to
patients after their initial 111 assessment during the out of hours period
(when GP surgeries and Health Centres are closed). This service ensures
that patients are directed to the correct pathway and receive the best
possible medical outcome.
Dental Helpline
The Emergency dental helpline (EDS) began in 1999 and was set
up to provide a full emergency service throughout East Lancashire.
Developments and improvements over the years have culminated in a
dedicated local dental helpline number. Calls are taken by ELMS dental call
handlers and wherever possible, patients are transferred straight through
to a dental triage nurse where very often the outcome
is access to an emergency appointment locally.
The dental service also provides an
allocation service to an NHS dentist for
on-going dental care.
5.
Company Profile
Gp Specialist Clinic Support Services
ELMS staff provide administrative support to local GP specialist clinics
which include dermatology and ophthalmology. Patients are referred into
these clinics via the choose and book system from Blackburn with Darwen
GP’s and other health professionals.
Patient Involvement
ELMS Patient Voices Group (PVG) is made up of volunteers who work with
the Company to promote good practice across all of the services which
ELMS delivers. They use a variety of approaches and innovative techniques
which help us to understand and improve the way we interact with our
patients. Patient experience is central to our organisation and to the
service improvements we undertake.
How we are measured and quality of care
ELMS is fully compliant and registered with the Care Quality Commission
(CQC)
Nationally - As a provider of Health Care Services, ELMS is monitored for
compliance with the essential standards of quality and safety. Full details
of our performance are available on the CQC website www.cqc.org.uk/
Locally - ELMS services are commissioned by the Blackburn with Darwen
and East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG’s) who are
provided with regular performance and compliance data to ensure safe and
effective care to patients.
6.
Contact us
Your opinions are important to us. If you have any views about this
document or if you would like to receive this document in large print,
braille, on CD, or in an alternative language, please contact us:HEAD OFFICE
East Lancashire Medical Services Ltd,
St Ives House, Accrington Road, Blackburn BB1 2EG
ELMS HEAD OFFICE
01254 752100
FAX
01254 291141
FACEBOOK
www.facebook.com/pages/East-Lancs-Medical-Services/152441011442300
TWITTER
twitter.com/ELMedService