Our first ELHSCP CTACS opens for patients in Haddington

On 15 June 2020, East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership is launching its new Community Treatment and Care Service (CTACS), based at East Lothian Community Hospital.  This nurse-led service will provide a specialist range of services, some of which patients may be more used to receiving at their local medical practice.

‘This is a new way of receiving care – one which helps us to ensure people are able to see the right person at the right place at the right time, and one which I am sure the community will come to value.

Changes to the arrangements between GP Practices and the Scottish Government have meant that some services will no longer be provided directly by their medical practice.  Instead, they will be delivered directly by East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership and NHS staff.

These services include removal of sutures/staples after operations or injuries; wound care (including management of leg ulcers or wounds after surgery), and some blood tests requested by specialist hospital teams.

Krista Clubb, Team Manager for the service says: 

‘It is really exciting to start this new nurse-led service. We have a fantastic team of experienced NHS nurses ready to welcome patients. Our well-equipped base at ELCH and ability to offer longer appointments when we need them allow the team to take the time to fully assess and plan individualised care to patients.   The services we offer will increase over the coming months to provide additional care such as ear irrigation and vaccinations. Hopefully, we will be able to develop more CTACS bases in the county over time, so that we can provide support to all practices and communities across East Lothian.’

Welcoming the new service, East Lothian Integration Board IJB Chair Councillor Fiona O’Donnell said:

‘This is a new way of receiving care – one which helps us to ensure people are able to see the right person at the right place at the right time, and one which I am sure the community will come to value.

‘This is something that we have been working on with the three medical practices in Haddington for some time. We hope that it will enable them greater freedom to spend more time with patients with complex and long-term health needs.

‘CTACS will be working hand-in-hand with the practices, updating them on the treatment they have provided to patients and working together to ensure the best all-round patient care.

‘Although the CTACS will initially be focusing on wound management, blood samples and stitches and staples, the service will develop over the coming months to offer other forms of clinical care, to support the work of  all local medical practices.

‘This is a really exciting development and one which I think will benefit patients and staff in medical practices.’

Find out more about CTACS here.

Published: Monday, 15th June 2020