Covid-19 updates and service recovery
The National Operating Plan published last month states that Trusts must achieve 70% of 2019/20 elective activity, increasing to 85% by July. The Trust is on track to meet these requirements. In May the Trust reached 113% activity for inpatients, 84% for day cases and 92% for outpatients.
North Central London has received additional funding to accelerate recovery and this is being used at North Mid to support extra operating lists and through increased weekend and evening working.
To ensure patients whose elective procedures have been delayed do not come to harm, there has been continued focus on clinical review and prioritisation of long waiters on the elective pathways. We are working hard to reduce the number of patients waiting over 52 weeks. As at 13 May 2021 the number of patients waiting 52+ weeks from referral to first definitive treatment is 88; a reduction compared to April, during which 149 patients were waiting 52+ weeks.
Cancer recovery
Once a patient has been diagnosed, the Trust has continued to provide the same number of treatments as pre pandemic, with surgery happening at independent sector sites.
Radiotherapy has continued to operate throughout the pandemic in line with the new infection control guidelines and have extended the working day to ensure that patients can be treated in a timely manner.
Chemotherapy during the first wave was delivered in two mobile chemotherapy units and continued to deliver treatments throughout this period.
Following an extensive refurbishment of the original Chemotherapy Day Unit treatment has returned to the main hospital. The 31-day decision to treat to treatment standard has consistently been in the 90% and in December 96.55% of patients were treated within 31 days.
Urgent and emergency care
We have been seeing a substantial increase in attendances at the Emergency Department (ED) for Type 3 (minors) attendances over the past few weeks. Any support to encourage patients to access care in primary or community care settings would really help us to provide good care for those patients who need urgent and emergency care.
Canterbury ward opening
A 22 bedded unit opened on Canterbury Ward at Chase Farm Hospital on Thursday 20 May as a facility for North Middlesex Hospital to step down medically optimised patients to support patient flow on the acute site.
Medically optimised patients that are experiencing discharge delays will be transferred from North Middlesex Hospital to Canterbury ward. This unit will provide a calmer, more suitable environment, with nursing, AHP and GP care provided until they are ready to be moved to their ongoing discharge destination.
North Middlesex Hospital GPs will be providing cover on the unit and may be in contact with patients’ GPs to support their discharge and ongoing provision of care at home or in the community.
The GP can contact the ward manager or the matron on the unit on the number below:
Ward contact number: 0207 794 0500 Ext. 30103 - 30104
Mobile: 07890 039 026
Update to care of the elderly hotphone number
The hotphone provides a service for GPs and other providers calling about patients over 65 with geriatric medicine needs regarding care, advice and treatment plans.
The hotphone can also be used to refer to our Hot Clinics – Care of the Elderly hot clinics provide rapid access from GP referrals to a comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA), MDT, and diagnostics for patients with frailty, with a focus on admission avoidance.
The Care of the Elderly hot-phone, held by a Consultant Geriatrician 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, and 8am - 4pm weekends and Bank Holidays.
The new care of the Elderly hotphone number is as follows:
Previous number: 07436 561 077
New number: 07890 039 025
Vaccine hub in Northumberland Park
North Mid has brought Covid-19 vaccinations closer to the people of Tottenham this week thanks to the opening of a pop-up vaccination clinic at the Eric Allin Community Centre in Northumberland Park.
Working in partnership with Haringey Council, the clinic has been open to people over 40 years old wanting to have their first Covid-19 vaccination. There is no need for an appointment; people will be able to walk-in.
The vaccination clinic, run by our community services team at North Mid, is open for Haringey residents who have been unable to book an appointment or are not able to attend appointments during normal working hours. Opening days and hours are available on the Haringey Council website.
The North Mid in the Community team also run a mass vaccination centre at the Dugdale Centre in Enfield Town.
Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) unit
The new Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) Unit opened its doors to patients in April 2021 as part of our Hot Floor reconfiguration estates programme. The newly refurbished area, previously known as Ambulatory Emergency Care (AEC) has increased capacity with seven recliner chairs, four consultation rooms and patient waiting space. It provides consultant-led same day medical input for acute patients that can be rapidly assessed, diagnosed and treated in a day case setting.
Patient treatment pathways for SDEC include deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pyelonephritis, lower limb cellulitis, pulmonary embolus (PE), community acquired pneumonia (CAP), atrial fibrillation (AF), acute kidney injury (AKI), headache and hransfusion.
The SDEC vision is to provide outstanding same day care to our patients by:
- Rapidly diagnosing and treating patients who would otherwise beadmitted to hospital
- Enabling direct access via GP referral to reduce attendances to A&E
- Enabling early discharge with rapid follow-up that cannot bemanaged by GP
- Streamlining patient care with agreed pathways
For SDEC referrals or for acute medical advice, please ring the Acute Medicine hot phone: 07436 036 515
Faster access to patient records thanks to Health Information Exchange (HIE)
We are delighted to announce that North Mid data is now available in the Health Information Exchange (HIE).
You will be able to view certain information in real time for patients being treated in north central London referred to North Mid, including:
- Appointments (future)
- Encounters (past visits)
- Lab Results (including blood sciences, microbiology, virology and histopathology)
- Radiology Reports
Data available on HIE is in line with your local information governance policies.
If you have any concerns regarding technical issues with the data display, please contact your internal IT department in the first instance or the NCL support desk via email at nclccg.digitalhelpdesk@nhs.net for second line support.
This is the first phase of data sharing with North Mid and we will be working with them to include additional data sets in the future, such as clinical correspondence, vital signs and visit diagnoses.
Phlebotomy (blood tests)
The on-site North Mid Blood Test Clinic no longer offers GP blood test appointments. GP referrals will only be accepted at our community phlebotomy sites.
We currently have next day appointments available at our community based sites, Laurels and Evergreen for all Enfield and Haringey patients. Location and opening times for our community hubs are as follows:
- Evergreen Surgery, 1 Smythe Close, Edmonton N9 0TW,
Monday to Saturday,
8am to 5pm
- The Laurels Healthy Living Centre 256 St Ann’s Rd, Tottenham, London, N15 5AZ,
Monday to Saturday,
8am to 5pm
- Forest Primary Care Centre, 308A Hertford Road, Edmonton, London, N9 7HD
Monday to Friday
8am-12pm
- Grovelands Medical Centre, 1 Grovelands Rd, London N13 4RJ
Monday to Wednesday
10am to 2pm
All GP blood tests are bookable online by going to https://www.northmid.nhs.uk/blood-tests. Patients can select the location, date and time at their own convenience. All patients must have a booked appointment. There is no walk in service.
Please do not advise your patients to come to North Mid as they will be asked to attend a clinic in the community.
To book an appointment for blood tests, please go to https://www.northmid.nhs.uk/blood-tests or call us on 0208 887 3663 / 3664.
GPs are able to send the patient request forms to a generic North Middlesex email for printing only: northmid.bloodtestrequestforms@nhs.net