My Topol fellowship problem / project:
There are increased waiting times until patients can access services – patients being seen as frequently as capacity permits rather than according to need, in addition to pressure on staff to discharge patients from community teams to create capacity to take on new patients. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has further highlighted the need to future proof services to enable business continuity in the event of any additional unforeseen circumstances affecting patient care. Furthermore, the public have become more open to online / digital based working following the constraints of the pandemic.
As a Topol Digital Fellow, I would like to expand the scope of services offered within my team, to incorporate video consultations for both individual and group Physiotherapy sessions for patients who have undergone elective hip and knee joint replacements. My proposal adopts a digital hybrid model of care, whereby patients are first seen face to face at their initial assessment. As part of this assessment patients are screened for ‘Digital suitability’, whereby it will be decided, in partnership with the patient, whether future support will take place via home visits, digitally, or a combination of both. A digital hybrid model will save time, money and resources – professional input will be compressed; fewer car journeys will reduce environmental impact in line with “Our Green Plan”; practice will improve and remain future-proof due to more efficient time management/better processes; a modern approach to health care will be adopted which will engage with future generations and promote self-care; patient outcomes will be improved due to the best pathway being selected for each patient, resulting in reduced waiting times to access services.
About me
John is a Technical Instructor within North Shore Community Therapy Team at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. John has been in his current role for 2 years. Prior to this, John worked within the health and fitness industry, alongside personal training, for over 20 years.
John has a passion for innovative working and culture change, seeking to provide efficient and effective care to patients to promote successful outcomes. John is particularly passionate about educating and empowering patients to enable them to achieve their goals and manage their own health.