In recognition of World Administrators Day, PICS is celebrating the vital role of our professional administrators in providing excellent care for patients. Here we share the story and impact of Lynnette Chadwick, PCN Care Coordinator, whose role is to integrate the care for a patient so that they are put first and their whole being is the focus.
With over 14 years of experience in hospital-based administrator roles, Lynette joined PICS to work in a community-based setting within Primary Care Networks. Within the Care Coordination Service, she is connected to all of the clinical and social care teams within PICS, including the services for care homes and social prescribing. Lynette is also very well connected across the entire region, working closely with GPs, Practice Nurses, District Nurses, Social Workers, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Dietitians and more. And very importantly, Lynnette is part of the Primary Care Network team, pulling together services at a local level and forming pathways between them.
But how does one person transform care?
Lynnette delivers an innovative approach that transforms the care a patient receives from acute and urgent into personalised and holistic. This is how her work enhances lives, reduces hospital admissions and takes pressure off GP services.
“Over the past 14 years, I’ve worked in Nottingham University Hospitals as Orthopaedic Outpatient Receptionist, Bowel Cancer Screening Coordinator, Dermatology Medical Secretary, and a Speciality Personal Assistant in Gynaecology and Urogynaecology. I was interested in a role within the Primary Care Network (PCN) because of the idea that providing care in a community setting actually reduces unnecessary hospital admissions. After years of working within a hospital setting, the concept of tailored care according to individual patient need sounded amazing to me.
“I now work at PICS within the Primary Care Network (PCN), providing holistic and personalised care for patients in a community setting. As a PCN Care Coordinator, I work hand-in-hand with staff in Care Homes, GPs, Social Services and Therapy teams. Our fast-acting service helps patients feel better before their condition becomes serious, and takes pressure of GPs and hospitals.
“Firstly, our clinicians assess their patient to get the full picture of their needs and situation. I then act swiftly to find them the appropriate support from a variety of teams and services, and help reduce the risk of their conditions getting worse or destabilising.”
“Here is how a case might work:
“A care home colleague contacts our Enhanced Health in Care Homes Service (EHCHS) team because one of their patients is losing weight and is generally deteriorating. They’re not ill enough to call in acute services, but they’re uncomfortable and it’s likely they will get ill without preventative care. Our administrative team has access to Pharmacists, Occupational Therapists and Dieticians, so we arrange for the patient to be assessed and we support onward referrals and medicine requests. This direct route to specialist care avoids the need for a visit from the GP. The patient starts to feel more comfortably really quickly. They don’t become poorly and frightened, and they don’t go into hospital. We ensure their patient records are kept up-to-date so that the GP and their other clinicians are involved.”
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You can find out more about the PCN Care Coordinator role and apply for or share current vacancies here: Job Advert (jobs.nhs.uk)