Weekend walk-in clinics at GP surgeries and specialist support for people overdosing on club drugs like Ecstasy are among the plans to help ease pressure on a hospital accident and emergency department this winter.

Health bosses in Brighton and Hove have revealed details on how they intend to spend £2.3m allocated by the Government to help the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton cope with demand.

Brighton and Hove Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is introducing extra services aimed at reducing the need for trips to A&E and the time spent in hospital.

This includes bolstering support in the community as well as making sure hospital services work as well as possible.

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New measures include: 

  • nursing support in homeless hostels so that the people staying there can get the healthcare they need to avoid admissions to hospital.
  • specialist services for older people and people with dementia so that, wherever it is best for them, they can receive the support they need at home and in the community rather than in hospital.
  • highly specialised advice at weekends in A&E for people who have developed problems with ‘club drugs’ so they can be directed to the right support services to help them.
  • additional night sitters, who stay at home with people who might need care overnight to give them the care they need and prevent the need to go to hospital.
  • having senior medical staff at the front door of A&E to assess patients earlier, improving the flow of people through the department, reducing unnecessary admissions and helping people in need of care get the best possible treatment.
  • weekend walk-in clinics in some GP practices across Brighton and Hove at times of high demand.
  • extra community rehabilitation services to physically and medically support people at home when they are discharged from hospital so that they can continue on the road to recovery.

CCG chief clinical officer Christa Beesley said: “We all know that winter brings extra pressures on the health system and this year will be no different.

“In order to make sure we are doing everything possible to try and relieve that we need to work together with health providers and partners.

“We also need to ask people living in Brighton and Hove to help us by really considering when to use A&E.”