Pioneers in patient care: consultants leading change
North East
Dr Paul Anderson
Northern General Hospital, Sheffield
Job title: Consultant physician
Specialty: General / respiratory medicine
Innovation: Integrated pathways of care
More than 26,000 people die in England and Wales every year as a result of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), an obstructive disease of the lung. It is also the third biggest cause of morbidity and mortality in Sheffield. Consultant physician Dr Paul Anderson and his team have reorganised the care of those who suffer from the disease to improve their quality of life.
Dr Anderson says: “With medical and nursing colleagues we are developing integrated pathways of care for COPD. The prevalence of the disease is very closely linked to social deprivation and thus the project includes a supported discharge scheme, which enables patients with acute symptoms to be treated at home rather than staying in hospital.
He says: “We want to make it easier for people with COPD to be diagnosed before they have become disabled. We want to improve access to care, ensure a standardised approach to management of the disease and provide a high quality service, including education and support for this group of often neglected patients.
“The patients have reacted to it positively and this is confirmed by surveys of those who have experienced the supported discharge scheme,” he adds.
The scheme was introduced four years ago and funded through a bid to the Health Action Zone (HAZ) Innovations Fund. It is now part of the Health Improvement Programme (HiMP).
Dr Anderson and his team have managed to make these changes in an NHS that has insufficient resources and time for patients.
He says: “Our workload is too great. We need more time to spend with both inpatients and outpatients. This would enable us to improve clinical standards, be more thorough and less rushed and stressed. We could spend more time explaining about treatment options and involve patients in their treatment.”
“We need more time to see patients, think, plan, reflect and organise. More revenue to allow service developments and capital funding to replace old, inadequate building stock and equipment. We also need more staff of all disciplines, though where they could be recruited from I don’t know.
“Pressure of time and lack of funding have prevented us making more improvements. Carrying out the “must dos” gives us little opportunity to do anything in important areas not covered by national service frameworks".