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Better Care
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Single point of access (SPA)

0300 555 1919

24/7 phoneline

Quick links

Who can be referred? 
Who can refer? 
What services are provided? 
What can the care delivered include?

The single point of access helps professionals arrange the right care for urgent and non-urgent referrals, helping to prevent avoidable hospital admissions and effectively manage long-term conditions in the community.

Urgent calls will be dealt with by a senior nurse - direct professional to professional contact.

Who can be referred?

Any patient registered with a Birmingham GP can be referred, provided they are aged 18 or over and:

  • at high risk of an avoidable admission and in need of urgent assessment

  • require non-urgent nursing or therapy services in their own home

  • require management of complex long-term conditions; palliative/end- of-life care in their own home.

 

Who can refer?

The single point of access welcomes referrals from:

  • GPs and practice nurses

  • GP out-of-hours service

  • A&E and other hospital staff

  • community health and social care services

  • ambulance crews

  • nursing and residential care homes

  • patients and carers known to the service.

 

What services are provided?

The single point of access is supported by a comprehensive model of community care, which proactively supports patients in the community as the preferred action. The multidisciplinary teams include:

  • senior nurses with advanced clinical assessment, diagnostic and prescribing skills
    care staff

  • physiotherapy and occupational therapy support

  • social workers

  • registered mental health nurses.

 

The single point of access can co-ordinate care delivery including:

  • advanced assessments within two hours for patients needing urgent health interventions and care who can remain at home

  • access to acute bed bureau for medical/surgical admissions

  • step-down to community nursing for longer term needs

  • four-hour response for patients needing district nursing care, long-term condition management and treatment at home

  • provision of urgent equipment to avoid acute hospital admission

  • admission to community bed-based services, where appropriate

  • intravenous antibiotics

  • assessment for domiciliary therapy (physiotherapy and occupational therapy)

  • liaison with patient’s GP to effectively manage clinical care at home and the wider health and social care system.

 

How to refer a patient through the single point of access

0300 555 1919

24/7 phoneline

Referrers should be ready to provide:

  • the patient’s details including name, address, phone number, date of birth and NHS number

  • reason for referral and patient’s health condition

  • information on whether your patient needs urgent care so you can discuss options and agree a response with a senior nurse.

For non-urgent or complex referrals please complete the referral form. Download a copy by clicking  here.

Calls may be recorded for safety, training and audit purposes. The single point of access will record, retain and update information on care plans, sharing information with services as appropriate.