Karen Swaile is a RGN, RM & HV by background and has a master’s degree in public health. She has 35 years’ experience in clinical settings including 24 years as a ward sister and in nurse specialist roles, as well as 11 years’ community experience.
Karen was the operational manager of the DN and CM service in Sunderland during the introduction of the All Together Better and the co-location of the CITs. She is delighted to join the GP Alliance to help deliver clinical projects and systems to enhance & sustain primary care to the people of Sunderland. One of the projects Karen is currently involved with is the;
POST DISCHARGE SERVICE PILOT
This service is designed to reduce GP workload and release time capacity by offering an alternative clinical filtering and signposting service for all acute hospital discharge summaries relating to patients over the age of 50, who may have multiple comorbidities and polypharmacy. It is also designed to improve discharge follow-up for patients. The service is being carried out in the Washington locality.
The service will be operated Mon-Friday by an experienced nurse, with support from a pharmacist and an administrative coder. It may include some clinical support from the pilot pharmacist. On completion of the pilot the service will evaluate the number of hospital discharge summaries that meet the pilot inclusion criteria, estimate the amount of GP capacity that is released in time from the alternative service and ask for patient feedback around a more proactive discharge experience following correct signposting.
Karen Swaile, Clinical Projects Manager