Lister Hospital in Stevenage has this week launched a new 24/7 service which helps ensure patients, relatives and carers can get a second opinion if they are concerned about a patient’s care when in hospital.
The Call 4 Concern service is a patient safety initiative which recognises that relatives and carers know their loved ones the best and will be able to tell when their condition is changing for the worse.
When a patient, relative or carer uses Call 4 Concern, they’ll be asked to provide information which will allow a separate team of clinicians to visit the patient to assess them and discuss the concerns raised. A note of the Call 4 Concern will be logged in the patient’s medical notes summarising the concern raised and the actions taken.
Patients and their families or friends who have ongoing concerns about their own or a loved one’s changing condition, in addition to raising their concerns with the nurse in charge or doctor, can call the Call 4 Concern phone number on 07557 490 705.
Theresa Murphy, Chief Nurse at East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, said:
We are committed to providing high levels of care to our patients and the local community, but we know that a patient’s loved ones will often be able to spot something is wrong before we do.
“Patient safety is one of our top priorities and we have robust systems in place to detect whether a patient is deteriorating in hospital.
“However, the new Call 4 Concern service provides an extra layer of reassurance for patients and their loved ones, supporting them to raise their concerns and seek a second opinion where needed.”
