2 hour Urgent Community Response

News - 13 December 2023

The Two Hour Urgent Community Response Service (2hr UCR) ensures people receive the right care, at the right time, in the right place. In October, the team responded to 228 calls in under two hours with 90.1% compliance against the national target of 70%.

The multi-skilled team respond to urgent referrals, completing assessments and delivering personalised care, treatment and support for people living in Wirral. Assessments are completed within 2-48 hours dependent upon clinical need.

Part of the Community Integrated Response Team (CIRT), the 2hr UCR team has built excellent relationships with local primary care networks, mental health and community services, acute settings, social and voluntary sector organisations and North West Ambulance Service (NWAS). Partnership working has resulted in Wirral’s Two Hour Community Response Service being one of the highest performing teams for NWAS referrals across Cheshire and Merseyside. Each one of these referrals have meant patients can remain in their own homes and freed up ambulance crews to attend other calls across the region.

Patients have benefited from:

• quick assessment and treatment
• care and treatment in their own home or place of residence
• avoiding an unnecessary admission to hospital
• reduced stress and anxiety associated with hospital admissions
• extra support when they get home from hospital

The service is an admission prevention service, providing people with urgent assessments, care and treatment in their own home for a short time. This service is for those people who may otherwise be at imminent risk of hospital admission.