Sussex NHS patients are set to benefit from a new ear, nose, and throat (ENT) service, which will provide faster and more direct access to support and treatment.
ENT Sussex has been launched in the hope of providing a “single point of access for all patients” and therefore delivering a better and more streamlined referral process for GPs and other health professionals.
As part of the new service, patients will have an appointment at their GP practice as normal and then be directed to a central referral management centre where they will be triaged by clinicians working across NHS services in Sussex.
After a decision has been made, patients will then be transferred to the appropriate service for their health needs and will be treated by the right person at the first time of asking – ultimately circumventing unnecessary and avoidable delays.
Nick Saunders, ENT Sussex Clinical Lead, said: “We have listened closely to patients and to professionals who have shared their frustrations about current services and how things could be better. As we work to address waiting times and help us to further improve the level of care being offered to local people, this new joined up approach aims to reduce duplication and provide a more simplified service for patients.
“It is also a significant step forward in our aim to ensure equity of access for every ENT patient across Sussex as there will be a single way to access help and treatment.”
The project brings together all the NHS organisations providing ENT services in the region, for the first time, which includes University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, and Queen Victoria Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
To make sure patients are seen in order of clinical priority, the team at ENT Sussex will be able to access a single patient waiting list, further ensuring patients are seen by the right person, the first time.
The new service also affords patients the ability to access services across the area, allowing them to go to a site where waiting times may be lower.
Pari Hutchinson, Programme Manager for ENT Sussex, said: “The ENT Sussex Single Point of Access has been a collaborative piece of work which has seen our stakeholders throughout the Sussex NHS system invested in the redesign and transformation of the new ENT Sussex Service.
“This is a positive move in the way our providers have and will continue to work together to provide interoperability which will support the single point of access to provide better patient outcomes.”
More information on the new ENT service is available here.
