Tarporley

RESPIRATORY REFURB TRANSFORMS CARE

Respiratory care at the Countess is changing, with new state-of-the-art equipment and a centralised hub being created for all respiratory patients.

Ward 48 has been renovated to house a respiratory support unit, inpatient beds, a day case unit and specialty nurses all on the same ward.

The unit has been built for purpose, with 38 beds – including 11 Respiratory Support Unit (RSU) beds – and improved monitoring facilities for patients in the community being managed through a ‘virtual ward’.

Dr Prosenjit Dutta, Respiratory Consultant, said: “This is a very exciting time for our respiratory team because we are looking at innovative ways to deliver our services. “Our new unit will provide greater continuity for patients as they will be assessed, diagnosed and have their treatment optimised all in the same place, with all of our teams working more closely together.” Demands on these services have increased significantly during the pandemic, with COVID-19 being a respiratory disease, but increased prevalence of other conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were already having an impact before COVID-19. The increased 11-bed RSU almost triples the existing RSU’s capacity. These beds are used to treat some of the most poorly patients who need increased breathing support, either through medications or machines like continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy. What makes the unit such an exciting prospect for Dr Dutta is that alongside this increased capacity for very unwell patients, a new day unit will also enable other respiratory patients to be assessed, diagnosed and treated on the same day. At present Dr Dutta is one of five respiratory consultants working in the team. As part of the expansion a further two consultants will be recruited in the coming months. Dr Dutta added: “We are looking forward and planning for the future so this is a fantastic time for new consultants to join our team. There are opportunities for every specialist interest.”

Trust helps to secure Tarporley War Memorial Hospital’s future

The Countess is working with the Trustees of Tarporley War Memorial Hospital to continue providing services to the local community.

Under the new agreement TWMH will become a rural hub for the Cheshire West Integrated Care Partnership’s (CWICP) Rapid Response and Hospital at Home teams, allowing for closer working with GP practices and existing community teams. The Rapid Response Team provides care and rehabilitation for patients in their own homes, which is proven to aid quicker recovery. Hospital at Home supports patients at home who would otherwise need to go into hospital for their treatment. The team provide increased regular monitoring and IV antibiotics at home. From July to October in 2021 the team helped 51 patients to return home from hospital sooner and prevented 364 patients being admitted. CWICP will be looking to increase staffing across those teams, particularly by recruiting therapy and community support workers, who would be able to provide care and rehabilitation for people within their own homes. Rachel Wright, Chair of the Trustees, said: “We are pleased to have found a longerterm financial solution for the muchloved hospital that allows the facility to continue to provide healthcare services to the local community.”

The Hospital at Home team will have a base at Tarporley