A project that helped keep thousands of people out of hospital and in their own home during the Covid pandemic has been recognised with an award.
NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care System received a Kent Surrey Sussex Respiratory Collaborative Quality Improvement Award for its Covid Oximetry@Home service.
Starting in November 2020, all of Kent and Medway had a fully functioning primary care-led Covid Oximetry@Home service in place, by the end of December 2020 which has now helped keep more than 6,000 patients safe.
Dr Navin Kumta, GP and Chair of NHS Kent and Medway Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said:
“I am so pleased to see recognition of the team. The delivery of Covid oximetry@home was a massive achievement in the teeth of the high level of infections last winter.
“Thousands of patients were kept out of hospital by giving them oximeters, so their blood oxygen levels could be remotely monitored. It was a real team effort with staff at the CCG working with clinical leaders, to help GPs mobilise a completely new way of working from a standing start in two months.
“In particular, I would like to thank the practice staff who made regular calls to thousands of patients: one call was described by a patient as ‘like a great big hug’.”
The awards from Kent Surrey Sussex Academic Health Science Network’s (KSSAHSN) Respiratory Team recognise outstanding initiatives in the respiratory field.