FOR SOME patients going in to hospital at Poole means not staying in anymore.

The recently-opened Treatment & Investigation Unit is one of only a few in the NHS where the care is nurse-led, rather than by a consultant and offers both urgent and routine care. It means that people who can be treated and allowed to go home can do so - reducing stress on beds and improving their quality of life.

Poole Hospital said the TIU is led entirely by specially-trained nurses with advanced practice qualifications, and, by offering day case care and procedures, it ensures that patients only stay in hospital if absolutely necessary.

"TIU patients are treated by one nurse from the beginning to the end of their care in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere," said a hospital spokesman. "Staff have the ability to transfer inpatients from elsewhere in the hospital to the TIU to help free up beds for the sickest patients and ease pressure on services."

The unit opened in December 2018 and its opening hours are 7.30am-7.30pm Monday to Friday and 7.30-3.30pm on Saturday and Sunday. These off-peak times provide extra out of hours care.

An example of how it works is patient, Naid, from Bournemouth, who has the respiratory condition chronic bronchiolitis. "She has recurring chest infections which require daily antibiotics but rather than being admitted as an inpatient, she comes into TIU for treatment before returning home," said the spokesman. "This allows Naid to still live a life out of hospital and to be more comfortable in her own bed."

Geoffrey Walker, matron for specialist medicine and ambulatory care, applauded how the unit will “challenge and change previously accepted practices”.

“The TIU puts the idea of ‘admission is a last resort’ to the forefront,” said Geoffrey. “It will challenge and change previously accepted practices for admission and I really believe this is the way forward for hospital care.”

The unit is part of a £952,000 funding scheme from NHS Improvement to help flow through the hospital. This initiative also includes the refurbishment of the Harbourside ambulatory gynaecology centre, the opening of a minor injuries unit and the construction of a new outpatients treatment centre.