Providing community intravenous therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic
Community intravenous therapy is well-established in most regions of the UK. Although there are national good practice recommendations detailing the service provision of outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy (OPAT), examples of extended service delivery of other therapies are limited. This article describes the development of a community IV therapy service through integration with acute and primary care teams. IV therapies delivered in addition to antimicrobials safely outside of the hospital setting are also discussed with scope for future areas of development explored. The benefits of care closer to home for patients during the global COVID-19 pandemic are examined, as well as the potential for widening the whole gamut of practice for already established NHS community services through the development of integrated working in a local care organisation.ABSTRACT
Annual referrals to the community IV therapy team
Sources of referrals to the community IV therapy team January 2019 to December 2020
NB Patients referred needing IV administration of medication only (no venous access device care)
Key: StHK=St Helens and Knowsley; *=hospital trust or team based at a hospital trust; OPC=outpatient clinic; ** Willowbrook Hospice (community palliative care team)
Sources of referrals to the communty IV team during COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020–February 2021)
NB Patients referred needing IV administration of medication only (no venous access device care)
Key: Clatterbridge=Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust; StHK=St Helens and Knowsley; *=hospital trust or team based at a hospital trust; OPC=outpatient clinic; *** Willowbrook Hospice (community palliative care team)
Number of medication regimens provided by the community IV therapy team (March 2020 to February 2021)
All patient contacts carried out by the Community IV Therapy Team before and during the COVID-19 pandemic