NHS provider DHU Healthcare and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust have worked together to ensure the future of an essential urgent care service in Bassetlaw.
Bassetlaw Urgent Care Service (BUCS) provides urgent and emergency care from its Primary Care Centre base at Bassetlaw District General Hospital. Both organisations have been working together to enable the service to be provided efficiently and effectively for patients.
DHU Healthcare is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that provides NHS111 services across the Midlands as well as in hours General Practice and GP out of hours including community and urgent and emergency care in Urgent Treatment Centres. This partnership will ensure the continuation of compassionate and quality focused urgent and emergency care for patients in the region.
Kirsty Osborn is DHU Healthcare’s Deputy Director of Urgent Care, she said: “We have been working very closely with Nottinghamshire Healthcare to help with the running of BUCS for many years, so we know the service and team very well. Recruitment is a challenge for urgent care services across the country so, due to our knowledge of the service, the community and the progressive working relationship we have with our colleagues at Notts, we are delighted to be able to further enhance our partnership working.
Keep the service there when patients need it
“In terms of the service patients can expect, it has been a seamless transition and the purpose of this partnership is to keep BUCS running efficiently so that it continues to be there when patients need it. It is absolutely essential that this service remains available and it is thanks to the foresight of Nottinghamshire Healthcare and their recognition that a long-term solution is needed, that we’re able to work together now to keep this service available as an option for patients.
“We run Urgent Treatment, Primary Care and out of hours services across the Midlands, including those in Loughborough, Chesterfield, Derby, Leicester and Northampton; this is something we are well versed in and have been providing enhanced support in Bassetlaw for the last couple of years. Together with Nottinghamshire Healthcare, we will develop a joint approach that focuses on compassionate, high quality and patient-centred care with a keen eye on securing BUCS’ long-term future.”
Keeley Sheldon, Executive Director of Community Health Services at Nottinghamshire Healthcare added, “Nottinghamshire Healthcare already has a strong working relationship with DHU Healthcare, and we look forward to developing this partnership to continue to provide Bassetlaw Urgent Care Services (BUCS). The service transfer will not impact on the delivery of care but will enable BUCS to continue to provide care for our residents of Bassetlaw. We look forward to seeing this service grow and develop.”
Pictured, from left to right: Paul Tilson (DHU Managing Director of Urgent and Emergency Care), Sarah Cooper (DHU Finance Business Partner, Urgent and Emergency Care), Kirsty Osborn (DHU Deputy Director of Urgent and Emergency Care), Catherine Flynn (DHU Head of Operations), Stephanie Langford (DHU HR Business Partner), Jean Tully (HCA/Driver), Helen Drew (General Manager Community Beds, Nottinghamshire Healthcare), Maria Buchanan (Advanced Practitioner), Caroline Hannan (DHU Clinical Services Lead) and Ian Ware (DHU Head of Clinical Services).