24 Oct 2018
Dr Tony Joy, Clinical Lead for our charity’s Physician Response Unit (PRU), has been named one of London’s 1000 most influential people by the Evening Standard. Tony was nominated in the ‘Social Pillars: Health’ category for leading the innovative collaboration’s expansion, and the impact it has had on patient experience.
The PRU is delivered in partnership with Barts Health NHS Trust and London Ambulance Service. Staffed with a senior emergency doctor and an Emergency Ambulance Crew member in the car, the service brings the emergency department to the patient. The clinical experience of the medics enables the PRU team to treat a wider range of illnesses and injuries at scene, meaning many avoid a trip to hospital.
Until last year, the service operated eight hours a day, five days a week. Motivated by the improvements the service can bring to patient experience and a desire to push the boundaries of care, Tony worked tirelessly to introduce the new and improved service. Thanks to Tony’s work, the service secured additional funding from Tower Hamlets Together and expanded its operations to 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
In its first six months since being remodelled, the PRU treated over 1000 patients, 68% of which were able to be discharged in their community. Alongside these improvements to patient experience, the PRU is estimated to have saved local health services over £650,000.
Our charity is proud of all the service has achieved so far. The team hope that the PRU model will be replicated in other areas across London and the UK.
We would like to thank the Evening Standard for recognising Tony and the service in the Progress1000.
