Night-shift medics get smart new way to care ; IN TOUCH: PHONES REPLACING 'BLEEPS' AT HOSPITALSNight duty doctors and senior nurses are being issued with smart phones to improve care for patients.
They are taking the place of the old system where, if a nurse needed a doctor, they would "bleep" them.
Caroline Barclay, manager of the Hospital 24/7 project, said: "We have been looking across our hospitals and how we can improve clinical co-ordination in the out-of-hours periods.
"This new system allows nurses to put in non-urgent clinical requests using a computer on the ward.
"A senior nurse then looks at the requests and allocates tasks to the appropriate person."
She said in the past a nurse might "bleep" a doctor because a prescription was needed for intravenous fluids - a task which needed to be done but was not urgent.
Ms Barclay said: "The doctor had no way of knowing if the request was urgent until he had called the person in question.
"Something such as a request for a prescription needs to happen but it doesn't need to happen at a particular moment. "This new system should mean doctors have more time with their patients when they are most needed."
So far, about 100 smart phones have been issued. The phones and a new computer programme have cost Pounds 220,000. The scheme began at Glenfield Hospital in February and is due to be extended to Leicester General next month.
It will be introduced at Leicester Royal Infirmary in August. Ms Barclay said: "We recognise care is needed 24 hours a day and we want to make sure our patients get the best care.
"This is one way to help us make sure the right person is available at the right time and in the right place.
"During the day, we will keep the bleep system as there are more people around and doctors are more ward-based whereas at night they can be responsible for several wards." The out-of-hours system is in operation between 5pm and 8am at Glenfield Hospital as well as at weekends and bank holidays. It will operate during the same hours when it is introduced at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
However, it will be operational from 8pm to 8am and at weekends and bank holidays at Leicester General.
Ms Barclay said: "Some hospitals are now using this system 24 hours a day and that is something we may consider in the future."
Last month, 60 iPhones were bought to improve communication in the accident and emergency department at Leicester Royal Infirmary.
Dr Ben Teasdale, clinical lead in the department, said: "This provides an exciting opportunity for us to use new technology in innovative ways to improve the delivery of emergency care in the future."
"This is one way to help us make sure the right person is available at the right time and in the right place" Caroline Barclay
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