Information summary - raising awareness

All Hospital at Home (H@H) services in Scotland operate in a unique way, while following the key elements laid out in the Guiding Principles document.  

For a better understanding of what this means for the different services, we have pulled together the relevant information about raising awareness about their services. The data are taken from the information sheets that were provided by the services, originally in October 2022.  

The information in this document was accurate at the time of publication but as services evolve, the information will change. This document will be reviewed and updated annually.  

 

How do you raise awareness of you H@H service with health and care professionals? Do you target a particular audience?

Aberdeen City

• Planning a video promotion of service 
• Staff bulletins  
• Newsletters 
• Networking  
• Internet page, and 
• Planned twitter account 

Dundee City

• Discussion with GP via cluster leads or LMC. 
• GPs sit on development and steering group. 
• A communication plan is being developed. 
• We liaise closely with the Acute Frailty Team who also refer into the service and provide daily capacity updates.
   

Glasgow City

• Communication strategy to identify all stakeholders. 
• Targeted meetings, presentations with GPs and Partnerships key groups. 
• Website 
• Videos available for key stakeholders summarising the service. 
• Making use of existing structures. 
• Through the corporate team we are producing press releases for wider media. Helps to show the progress being made in the Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP). 
• All ongoing work with stakeholders. 
  
  

Fife

• Use MS Teams to communicate capacity with GPs.  
• Did a lot of presentations and talks to different groups including community and elderly care groups and have done a lot of work in the local community.  
• We give each patient a satisfaction questionnaire. Collate the questionnaire results and review and act on any negative feedback.  
• Occasionally host a session with GPs.  
• Regular communication with the home first strategy groups to raise awareness of H@H and all the other services available to support people.
   

Forth Valley

At launch: 

• We hosted two webinars, involving all GP practices.  
• Held education sessions, and offered them to all GP practices.  

Currently: 

• We share a newsletter with all GP practices, and on the board intranets.  
• All reports are shared with the integrated joint partnership . 

Upcoming plans: 

• The newsletter is to be rejuvenated: 
• Currently liaising with GPs and receiving feedback.  
• Using this to inform changes, has been successful to date. 
  
  

Moray

Progressive awareness is being raised with front door and acute medical MDT colleagues. The intention is to advertise changes to primary care after the establishment of the direct advice line through pre-existing relationships (Geriatrician-GP linkages), mail shot and management structures. 

Lanarkshire

Most recently we have presented at a locality lead GP Forum of Clydesdale as we are expanding into that area in the coming months. We have also joined a NHS Lanarkshire Medical Leadership Meeting to engage with lead GPs of all localities and we are planning engagement sessions with ICST and Care at Home staff in Clydesdale in the coming weeks.  
 

Perth and Kinross

• Ongoing engagement activities to inform GPs and hospital consultants (our priority at the moment), specialist services, Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) and any other relevant teams and services. 
• The team are engaging with acute colleagues having presented at a recent engagement session and attending ward rounds to increase awareness, identify opportunities and increase education. 
• Hospital at Home is incorporated in to the PCIP Urgent Care update with plans to present to upcoming CHP meetings to engage with Primary Care colleagues once the service is fully operational.   
  
  

Lothian

• Target currently on A&E and Acute Medical wards discharging patient to our ongoing care. This is limited by individual clinicians’ confidence and understanding of what H@H can offer.  
• GPs engaged at local, Lothian and national level.  
• Presentations done for Grand Round and LUCS educational events. In-reach to MoE and acute medicine has also been completed to raise awareness. 
• Recent engagement with general public via press.
   

Western Isles

• Have made sure that the GPs are all involved. Every Tuesday there is a remobilisation meeting with Primary Care, Secondary Care, Acute Care and AHPs. The H@H team provide updates on H@H to keep everyone on board. 
• Now looking to give more information to care homes, aiming to have sessions with staff, family/carers and residents.  

 

How do you let patients know about the H@H service (availability and expectations)?

Aberdeen City 

Telephone call prior to visit. 

 
Dundee City 

Via patient leaflet left at first visit and through discussion at first visit. 

 
Glasgow City 

• Leaflets 
• Information at point of referral, and 
• General, wider awareness from press releases
   

Fife 

Patients get an information leaflet about H@H. 

Forth Valley 

• Patients receive a leaflet when they arrive at service. 
• There has been recent press coverage when health minister visited which has increased awareness. 

 
Moray  

Describe the service to patients when they meet the clinician. 

 
Lanarkshire 

We explain our service to patients when we visit them, we also provide the patient with an information leaflet. Patients that are being discharged from a ward to H@H are provided with a H@H patient information leaflet on discharge letting them know who we are and what to expect. 

 
Perth and Kinross 

Patient information leaflet given to patients, speaking to patients face to face.

 
Lothian 

Midlothian and Edinburgh 

This is much more limited. They tend to know about us from previous experience or word of mouth. There has not been any direct advertisement of the service. Recent interviews with the media may have highlighted these services to the general public in Edinburgh.  

East Lothian 

We provide an information leaflet on admission to our service. Patients and families will often have asked for our input via GP as they have used our services in the past. 

Western Isles 

• This is in the planning stages, similar to the work in care homes, the team wants to make sure staff are aware of changes first. 
• Aiming to use the information sessions to provide information to patients and their carers with GPs present. 
• Making sure that people understand why someone might be treated at home and that it is a viable alternative to inpatient treatment.

 

What patient information do you share once someone has been referred/admitted?

Aberdeen City 

• Patient leaflet 
• Planned promotional video, and 
• Planned twitter account
   

Dundee City 

• Patient information leaflet, and 
• Care Opinion leaflet 

Glasgow City 

Patient/family leaflet 

Fife 

Patients get an information leaflet about H@H.   

Forth Valley  

• Patient leaflet, and 
• A passport gets left with the patient, this includes their NEWS score, RESPECT information and nursing assessment.
   

Moray  

No

Lanarkshire

Patient leaflets

Perth and Kinross 

Patient information leaflet. 

Lothian 

Midlothian  

We have a H@H information leaflet that we provide in a pack to the patient along with ACP information, medication sick day rules, pressure care guidance and useful numbers for Midlothian services.  

Edinburgh   

Information leaflet available on the intranet that can be printed and given to patients at admission.  These are shared with patients on admission to our ward. 

West Lothian 

Verbal information, leaflet with team information and contact details 

East Lothian 

Information leaflet explaining who we are and what we do, our service times, to call 111 out with our hours, explanation of our service, how our intervention works. We may also provide information around DNACPR decisions and carer support.   

Western Isles

• Patients are visited on the ward, they are given a general H@H leaflet then a more specific one with their treatment plan, for example, how often they will be visited and the frequency of tests required. It includes information about COVID, and there’s a place to note any questions/concerns, and information about what happens on discharge. 
• Patients are given a monitoring kit and instruction leaflet to take home which includes a blood pressure (BP) monitor, a heart monitor and a thermometer.

 

Have you involved patients/carers in the development of your service, and if so, how? 

Aberdeen City 

• Planned patient representatives on project expansion group. 
• Feedback (when service started and continues).  
• Give person discharged a leaf, patient puts on feedback and puts that on the feedback tree. 
  
  

Dundee City 

There was limited involvement. We currently review patient feedback via Care Opinion, letters and thank you cards received. 

Glasgow City 

• Glasgow has an infrastructure for carers, we have provided information to them and received feedback.  
• We have identified gap for directly engaging with patients. We would like to do more engagement with former patients, and those who haven’t accessed the service yet. We are currently looking into this.
  
  

Forth Valley 

Not really. We have started using Care Opinion for patient feedback and have received some good feedback so far. 

Lanarkshire 

There is patient representation on some of the steering groups where our developments are discussed. 

Perth and Kinross 

Feedback form given to patient, carers or family to help understand what improvements to the service can be made. 

Lothian 

Midlothian and Edinburgh 

We do ask for patient feedback at the end of each episode and this has been used to shape team development.  

West Lothian  

Regular patient and carer feedback. 

East Lothian 

We provide patient feedback leaflets and Care Opinion contact, and take stock of patient feedback throughout their patient episode. This feedback is shared with the team and stored.

Western Isles 

Not at the moment but this is likely to be included when the service is expanded to Uist and Barra. 

 

How do you communicate with patients/carers (for example about how the service works and what it offers?

Aberdeen City 

• Newsletter, and 
• Emails
  

Dundee City 

As previously mentioned there was limited involvement. We currently review patient feedback via Care Opinion, letters and thank you cards received. 

Glasgow City 

A key component of the process is to ensure that the patient’s family is aware and what to do in the event of deterioration. 

Forth Valley 

• Patient leaflet, and 
• Conversation with patients during visits
   

Moray

Direct communication with the person and their support network as required.  

Lanarkshire 

There is patient representation on some of the steering groups where our developments are discussed. 

Perth and Kinross 

• Visits 
• Patient Information Leaflet 
• Speaking to them on the phone or in person, and 
• Explaining how the service works, answering any queries or concerns.
   

Lothian 

Midlothian and Edinburgh  

Verbally at first visit and via the information leaflets given.  

West Lothian 

Verbal communication and leaflet. 

 
East Lothian  

Referrer will discuss with the patient and we will explain in person on first visit. Information leaflets given to the patient. 

 

What mechanisms are in place for patient/carer feedback? 

Aberdeen City 

The leaf

Dundee City 

• Care Opinion, and 
• NHS Tayside feedback mechanisms. 
  

Glasgow City 

• Immediate survey 
• Follow-up survey 
• Care Opinion 
• Scope to go back to patients later, for example, six months later, to see what their opinion is then, and 
• Potential focus groups to reflect on treatment they received, how service could be improved.
  
  

Fife

Each patient is given a satisfaction questionnaire.  

Forth Valley 

• Care Opinion, and 
• We recently developed a QR code for H@H which is included in the passport.
   

Moray

None as yet but this would be useful to develop in the future. D2A service have a bit of qualitative feedback which we may use as a guide. 

Lanarkshire 

We receive feedback via the Care Opinion website occasionally but with the demographic of patients that our service targets we receive much more handwritten thank you cards. We are currently introducing the use of Freepost Care Opinion feedback leaflets as we feel that our patient cohort are more likely to send feedback that way than access the website.  

Perth and Kinross 

Feedback form or verbal feedback. 

Lothian 

Midlothian 

A feedback form if provided at the end of every care episode. We also use Care Opinion but have found that this is not well used by our patients.  

Edinburgh 

We do ask for patient feedback at the end of each episode and this has been used to shape team development.

West Lothian  

Feedback forms. 

East Lothian 

Feedback form provided at the start of patient episode, along with a threefold leaflet containing Care Opinion information. 

Western Isles 

Every patient receives a survey to complete.  

How do you use patient/carer feedback? 

Aberdeen City 

• To improve on service 
• Review what we are doing, and  
• Give positive feedback to staff
   

Dundee City 

All feedback to date has been very positive. It has been shared with the team and discussed. 

Glasgow City 

• It is a key element of evaluation and for service improvement, we have examples of changes to our process and service as a result of feedback so far. 
• Would like to use you said/we did types of approaches in future. 

Forth Valley 

We share feedback with the team, and have recently added it to the newsletter. In the safety brief which is sent out weekly, we include a positive story. 

Lanarkshire 

Discussed at team meetings, informs change within the service. 

Perth and Kinross 

To shape further development and improvement of the service. Also collected as important data for measuring outcomes and capturing patient journeys. 

Lothian 

Midlothian 

This is collated by our team secretary and reviewed as part of our quality improvement (QI) meetings.    

Edinburgh 

Feedback is discussed at our QI meetings and incorporated into service development. 

West Lothian  

Reviewed by team and used to plan improvement in service. 

East Lothian 

Shared with the team, compiled by H@H admin and any significant points raised within team meetings. 

Western Isles 

The data is collected through the Health Intelligence Team.