Evaluation of Unscheduled Care Coordination Hubs

ARC Yorkshire and Humber collaboration with Yorkshire and Humber Academic Health Science Network

Unscheduled Care Coordination Hubs (UCCHs) provide access to timely unscheduled care in the community for patients who have immediate care needs and are at risk of ambulance transfer to hospital. UCCHs provide the potential for more timely and appropriate care in or close to the patients’ home, avoiding unnecessary conveyance to hospital with the benefits of reducing ambulance wait times, ED crowding and avoidable admission.

Funded by the National Insights Priority Programme (NIPP), a collaboration between the ARC YH and YH AHSN has undertaken a national evaluation to produce a rapid insights to inform future implementation of the UCCH model. 

More information regarding the features of the Unscheduled Care Co service including guidance for systems interested in the ‘test of change’ implementation process for Unscheduled Care Co service, is available in the official NHS E handbook here.

Care Coordination - A short video of staff describing the work of the  Unscheduled Care Coordination service can be viewed below or via this link.

Care Coordination Service overview video.mp4

Project description

NHS England and Improvement ECIST piloted the UCCH in North Staffordshire and rolled out the model in Wolverhampton & Norwich. ARC YH has undertaken an evaluation in the three pilot sites, as well as evaluating the implementation of the model in the a new site in the East Midlands. The key elements to the project area were:

This exciting project is delivering rapid evidence to inform the future development of models of unscheduled care in the community, at a crucial time as NHS services and staff attempt to increase the resilience of UEC services. 

Further contact

For more information on this project, contact Colin O’Keeffe on c.okeeffe@sheffield.ac.uk.