Covid Oximetry at home (CO@H)

A primary care allied service for increased monitoring of Covid-19 in the community, sitting between self-management and admission/palliation. This is a CFT nurse-led service, which often may need the support of the referring GP at times (eg establishing COPD baseline, palliation planning where appropriate, discharge of the anxious patient, etc). 

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Please note: this is not the Virtual Covid Ward service, which is a step down service for inpatients from secondary care with specialist oversight (not available to ED patients, who without admission remain in the community).

Assessment pathway
Covid GP assessment

Requirements:

  • Covid-19 diagnosis clinically likely and/or positive test result

AND

  • Symptomatic (Face-to-face or virtual assessment must be informed by observations)

 

AND EITHER

  • Aged 65+ years old

OR

  • Under 65yrs and clinically extremely vulnerable to Covid-19

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This includes all residents of a care home who choose to have all care needs met at home other than ITU/NIV

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Referral to Covid Oximetry at Home

Patient referred by SERF (Single Electronic Referral Form)

  • GP/ED/CATU/Community Hospital/MIU/OOH Services GP can all refer

  • Patient consented they are happy with patient contact

  • Referrer provides information pack including pulse oximeter to patient (packs held at GP practices/ED/MIU/111 and Community Hospitals)

  • Patient to be advised by referrer will be contacted by the CO@H team in <2hrs

  • Referrer notified of referral outcome at this time and 111 special note made for patient

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They will refer to the relevant virtual ward team, who will check the patient:​

  • has pulse oximeter and information

  • is guided through Virtual support offer and safety netted

  • knows how to take readings and at what times.

  • takes readings three times daily

  • if not deteriorating within 14 days of onset of symptoms is discharged with information and safetynetting

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This team provides a virtual monitoring service 9am - 5pm, 7 days a week

In out of hours, care defaults to normal OOH provision

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Covid Oximetry at Home team current monitoring protocol:

Virtual covid monitoring
Covid Oximetry at Home email
(NB for queries not referrals which use SERF instead, this shares an email address with the virtual covid ward, which is a separate service for secondary care):

cft.virtualcovidward@nhs.net

Care Home outbreak coordinator

Louise Forbes - Care Home Programme Manager. Contact via Bodmin switchboard 01208 251300