Healthcare provision in the UK is relatively comprehensive and we’re certainly lucky to have the NHS at our disposal, available free of charge at point of use – which is very reassuring to think about, as there’s no predicting just when we might need it and why.
You might have heard people mentioning patient pathways and, as such, may well be wondering what it means when someone is on the pathway, so we thought we’d publish a blog on the subject to help you deepen your understanding of how NHS care works and where to go if you develop a health condition of some kind.
What are patient care pathways?
Quite simply, patient care pathways are a model that medical professionals use to assess and triage people to direct them to the relevant healthcare services based on individual need.
How do patient care pathways work?
Wellbeing assessments and questionnaires are filled out to identify early risk assessments, after which contact will be made with the patient in question via phone, email or text.
A full assessment can then be carried out and a care or treatment plan developed. If appropriate and necessary, patients can be signposted to other services for further support.
From there, a multidisciplinary team review is conducted and the patient provided with the necessary level of treatment, either with or without case management as required.
If case management is necessary (for those patients who are more seriously unwell), an assessment will be carried out by a lead clinician to explore their specific circumstances and come up with a support plan involving all the relevant healthcare professionals and organisations.
This support will be provided until the patient gets better or further referrals to relevant local services are necessary.
What does it mean to be on the care pathway?
When you hear people talking about being on the pathway, they mean that they’re following a structured care plan tailored specifically to their own care journey.
The pathway itself isn’t a rigid framework but rather a versatile way of working that outlines the different stages of care for different health conditions, bringing together different healthcare professionals, social care workers, private nurses, individuals and families so that care can be coordinated effectively.
What are the benefits of care pathway models?
There are various different benefits associated with care pathway models, including better health outcomes, more satisfactory patient experiences, better communication between different healthcare organisations and professionals, streamlined processes, reduced risk of unnecessary interventions and increased transparency.
What does a social care pathway look like?
A social care pathway will ensure that you get the appropriate level of help and support that you need, with the first step typically a needs assessment carried out by your local council.
This will determine your specific requirements so that the best type of support can be provided, whether that’s personal care, a private nurse, home adaptations, mobility equipment and so on.
If you’d like to find out more about care pathways and how they could benefit you or a loved one, get in touch with the Concept Care team today.
