As part of Healthcare Leader’s focus on child health in the system Kathy Oxtoby takes a look at work in NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB
NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly (CIOS) ICB is working with system partners to expand the use of community appointment days (CADs). ‘It is a great example of the NHS 10-Year Health Plan in action,’ says Nicola Hughes, programme of care lead for planned care at NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly ICB.
‘CADs have been established in CIOS for more than a year, and the system is building on learning from the initial musculoskeletal pathways, now scaling the approach across other specialties, including for children and young people,’ she says.
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has delivered children’s speech and language therapy (SALT) and neurodiversity CADs. These models have informed subsequent delivery across the system, enabling CADs to be embedded across a range of pathways from neurodevelopmental services to children’s ear, nose and throat (ENT) in response to rising demand across general paediatrics, mental health and therapy services.
‘With hands-on leadership, the ICB’s planned care team has been a strong advocate for this work – bringing the approach to Cornwall, attending alongside clinical and operational colleagues to help refine the model in practice, and championing the first integrated neighbourhood team-led CAD,’ says Ms Hughes.
‘The benefits are many: improving access, reducing duplication and travel, and enabling families to access multiple services, including voluntary and community sector support, in a single visit,’ she says.
The most recent CAD saw Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust bringing together ENT and ophthalmology specialists in a non-clinical, child-friendly setting at local wildlife attraction, Paradise Park. Consultations were held in its JungleBarn indoor play centre, which opened exclusively for the event. Party rooms were transformed into consulting spaces, while a community village offered health, physical and mental wellbeing support, oral health advice and healthy eating demonstrations.
The children received ‘party invitations’ to attend either a morning or afternoon specialist appointment. Meanwhile, they were able to enjoy the soft play facilities, while parents and carers could take advantage of community village support from the range of services present. In total, 60 children were seen across the day for conditions including acute tonsillitis, grommets and squints.
See a short film of the children’s community appointment day.
