Reducing pressure on urgent and emergency care services through urgent community response

The 2-Hour Urgent Community Response (UCR) team, run by Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, provides an urgent assessment within two hours, and further short-term multiagency support (over 48 hours) to help people in a health crisis to avoid unnecessary hospital attendance or admission, recover quickly and keep their independence.

The team currently supports patients across Liverpool, Knowsley and South Sefton, working closely with ambulance services, GP practices, mental health and other hospital and community services, as well as social care and voluntary sector organisations.

Typical conditions suitable for a two-hour urgent community response include, but are not limited to:

• Falls in older people
• Reduced function/reduced mobility
• Urgent equipment provision
• Confusion/delirium, acute worsening of dementia
• Urgent catheter care
• Urgent support for diabetes
• Urgent support for respiratory conditions
• Unpaid carer breakdown, which could result in a health crisis for the person they care for

The service is available 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm (including bank holidays) and takes referrals from any health or social care professional.

Upon referral to the service, a clinical triage will be undertaken over the telephone and an assessment will be arranged by an appropriate professional, such as a nurse, occupational therapist or physiotherapist within two hours as required. They will then formulate a tailored treatment plan for the patient, which might include:

• Help to remain at home when things start to get difficult
• Recovery after a fall, accident, acute illness or operation that would otherwise put them at risk of admission into hospital or a readmission 

System impact

The 2-hour UCR team reduces pressure on urgent and emergency care services and wider NHS by preventing avoidable admissions to hospital and emergency department attendances.

Last winter alone, between 1 September 2022 and 31 March 2023, a total of 2,085 patients were referred into the 2-hour UCR service – potentially saving a huge number of ambulance conveyances and hospital bed days in avoided admissions.

You can learn more about the service on the Mersey Care website.