Thousands of patients initiate their own follow-up appointments thanks to innovative new scheme
Over 25,000 patients at The Walton Centre now use an innovative process to have greater control over their ongoing care.
Called ‘Patient Initiated Follow-Up’ (PIFU), patients with long term neurological conditions, and some that are post-elective surgery, can now request appointments directly in order to maintain their care.
Divisional Director of Operations for Neurology Jen Duffy said: “The team has worked hard to introduce PIFU and give control to patients who are being asked to attend appointments here at The Walton Centre. Patients were sometimes travelling a long way into the hospital for appointments, which may have been putting undue anxiety and strain on them.
“This way, patients with long-term or ongoing neurological conditions have a direct line to their clinical team, so when they feel like something has changed, they can call and get an appointment or new assessment promptly. I’m delighted we’ve been able to offer this greater, more nuanced, level of support to so many patients.”
To date, 26,761 patients have signed up for PIFU and managing their access to The Walton Centre.
Linda, 69, from St Helens, was referred to The Walton Centre with neck pain via her GP. Linda has type two diabetes, and has been advised to reduce her HbA1c level to allow for safe surgical intervention.
She said: “The referral process for my neck pain has been really smooth so far. I’ve been assessed and reviewed, and was given three years to improve my HbA1c before I can be a candidate for surgery. I’ve now got two years left of the three years and being able to stay in touch with the hospital via PIFU has been marvellous; really reassuring.
“Not being referred back to my GP in the meantime, and knowing I am still ‘in the system’, for when my situation improves or changes, means I can get seen by the experts a lot quicker. This way, when I’m ready for surgery, I can go straight to my clinician and say: ‘I’m ready.’”
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Picture attached: The Neurology Division Operational team responsible for PIFU
Notes to editors
Further information, or to arrange an interview, please contact the Communications Team at The Walton Centre on 0151 556 3397 or wcft.communications@nhs.net
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust is the only hospital trust in the UK specialising in neurology, neurosurgery and pain services. Although the majority of patients come from Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales, Lancashire and the Isle of Man, for some specialist treatments of complex disorders we see patients from all parts of the country, referred by their GPs or other neurologists, neurosurgeons and pain clinicians.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust was rated as ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England published its rating on Friday 21 October 2016, following announced and unannounced inspection visits to the Trust in April 2016.
For more information please visit: www.thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk or follow the Trust on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
The Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool L9 7LJ
0151 525 3611