BARNSLEY’S iHeart service has been shortlisted for a health care award recognising its contribution to the way in which patients can access out-of-hours GP and nurse appointments.
The service provides telephone and e-mail support, and to face-to-face appointments with GPs and nurses during evening and weekends, and has been shortlisted in the Health Service Journal awards.
It has successfully helped to reduce waiting times and admissions to the accident and emergency department by more than 100 patients per week, with more than 25,000 patients benefiting from the service during the past twelve months.
The winners will be announced in London in November.
Jim Logan, of Barnsley Healthcare Federation which pioneered the service, said: “iHeart was designed to respond to the needs of the local community and we’re thrilled to have secured a place on the shortlist. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication which has helped to give Barnsley a truly unique service which places the needs of patients first and shares a commitment to help patients receive the best possible access to out-of-hours services.”
Read more in this week's Barnsley Chronicle
