It enables patients, families and carers to call for urgent help and advice if they are concerned that a patient’s deteriorating condition is not being adequately recognised by the ward teams.
The service is run by the Critical Care Outreach Team, which specialises in the care of people who are very unwell and whose condition may be worsening.
The team are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to support the ward teams by assessing and reviewing patients, as well as offering advice to nurses and doctors on how to manage the patient’s condition.
The service will have a phased roll-out, with Call for Concern initially launching at Lincoln County Hospital for our adult inpatients from Monday 2 December 2024, and at Pilgrim Hospital Boston from February 2025.
Call for Concern will include paediatrics inpatients at both the Lincoln and Boston sites from February 2025.
When you should contact Call for Concern
You should contact the team if:
- You feel there is a significant change in a patient’s condition and, after discussion with the ward team, your concerns have not been addressed.
- After discussion with the ward team, it is still not clear what the plan is for the patient.
You can contact the team by calling the following number:
Lincoln County Hospital: 07393 009049
Please make sure you have the following information before making your call:
- The name of the patient you are concerned about
- The ward they are currently staying on
- A brief description of your concerns
Please do not use Call for Concern for general questions and advice about hospital services, such as general patient care, appointments, food and parking.
How the Critical Care Outreach Team will support you
One of our practitioners will take your call. They may provide advice over the phone or, after prioritising the urgency of the problem, visit the ward to discuss your concerns further and assess the situation.
The team, through their independent assessment, will ensure an appropriate care plan is in place for the patient.
The practitioner will gain consent from the patient before liaising with the ward team and will update you or your loved one accordingly. If the patient is too unwell to provide consent, the team will communicate with their nominated next of kin.
At times, we may not be able to answer your call immediately, but you can leave a message with the above details and a contact number. We will call you back as soon as possible.
Please ensure you have discussed any concerns with the ward teams prior to calling the Call for Concern team.
Using the Call for Concern service will not negatively impact the patient’s care in any way.
Who to contact if your concern is not about a patient’s deteriorating condition
Please do not use Call for Concern for general questions and advice about hospital services, such as general patient care, appointments, food and parking.
General queries should continue to be directed to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS). This is a free and confidential service that can provide patients, relatives and carer’s independent help, support and information.
PALS can also be used to comment on any aspect of your care; they will liaise with staff and managers to address issues quickly. They can also refer you to specialist agencies for further help.
The team can be contacted via email to [email protected] or by telephone on 01522 707071 or 01205 446243.
More information about what PALS can and cannot help with can also be found on our website.