Background

Lancashire & South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) recognises that respiratory disease remains a priority for the ICS and supports it’s Primary Care Networks (PCNs) in the delivery of local projects that will deliver this agenda.  2022/23 projects included the “Respiratory Wellness Over Winter” initiatives where PCNs were encouraged to refer high risk respiratory patients (defined by them as patients who haven’t had their pneumococcal or COVID-19 booster vaccinations) for a Social Prescribing Intervention and onward referral to appropriate services.  

Leyland PCN are keen to continue supporting the patients with respiratory disease across their community, working with those patients eligible for COVID-19 therapeutics. The aim of this project is to ensure that patients in Leyland PCN who are eligible for COVID-19 therapeutic treatments are aware of the pathway to follow in the event of developing COVID-19 symptoms, including the process for testing & how to access treatments, and as a result to reduce COVID-19 related demands on the system. Currently communications to eligible patients are managed by NHS England & often only sent once, so there is a risk the communications are not getting through or being acted upon.

 

Project

Aims

• To increase the number of eligible patients entering the local COVID-19 therapeutic pathway

• To increase the percentage of eligible patients receiving treatments at the right time and in the right way

High Level Project Plan

1. Data coded searches (IT) will be built by the PCN IT team to identify COVID-19 therapeutic eligible patients in Leyland PCN. Patients from the most deprived geographies within the PCN will be referred to the PCN Lifestyle Improvement Team (LIT). This team consists of the PCN’s Social Prescribers, Health and Wellbeing Coaches and Care Coordinators.

2. Pfizer & Leyland PCN will collaborate to develop & roll out training to equip the PCN LIT with:

   1. a high-level understanding of the eligibility criteria for COVID-19 therapeutics

   2. the rationale for treatment of high-risk patient groups

   3. the locally agreed COVID-19 treatment pathway

   4. the process of engaging and educating patients in the COVID-19 therapeutics pathway

3. The PCN LIT will proactively contact the patients identified & referred to them as a result of the IT searches and check that the information held on them is correct.

4. The PCN LIT will utilise the training to advise eligible patients on what to do in the event of developing COVID-19 symptoms, including how to access Government funded lateral flow tests & the process to follow to access treatments.

Benefits

Benefits to Patients

• Increased awareness of eligibility amongst patients & knowledge of the COVID-19 treatment pathway will improve patient access to treatment & outcomes

• Eligible patients will be better supported to understand the impact of COVID-19 on their underlying condition and make informed decisions about their own care

Benefits to the NHS

• Effective and early access to COVID-19 treatments can help improve patient outcomes to help reduce pressures on medical & care systems

  • The project aligns to a key national initiative to Make Every Contact Count (MECC) to support efficient use of NHS resources

• Supporting Leyland PCN in meeting standards of care set out in Commissioning Framework: COVID-19 Therapeutics for Non-Hospitalised Patients

• Education and support for the professional development of the PCNs LIT

Benefits to Pfizer

• Increased referrals of eligible patients to the local COVID-19 treatment pathway where an appropriate antiviral medicine (which may include a Pfizer medicine) may be prescribed in line with current national and local guidance

• Increased understanding of how we improve access to COVID-19 antiviral medicines/therapeutics

• Increased understanding of the role & needs of Social Prescribers

Resource allocation

Pfizer will provide £13,956 to fund additional workload by Leyland PCN staff to develop & deliver training to the PCN LIT, enabling outreach to the eligible patient cohort. In addition, 57 hours of Pfizer colleagues’ time will be provided to support the project through all stages of delivery from planning to evaluation.

Leyland PCN will provide 149 hours of PCN time to the project, including the development of IT searches to identify & prioritise patients to be referred to the social prescribing team.

 

Outcomes

A summary of the outcomes from this project can be downloaded here.