Call for Concern
Are you worried your condition is getting worse in hospital?
Are you concerned your loved one is deteriorating?
The Call for Concern team are here for you 24/7 when you are worried that your own condition, or that of your relative or friend admitted to our hospital, is getting worse.
You can also call the team if you feel that the health care team needs to give you more information or act on your concerns.
Call any time on 01305 255131
Call for Concern is a patient safety initiative run by our Critical Care Outreach Team (CCOT).
The CCOT team work across the hospital covering adult, children and young people's inpatient services. They provide a quick response to support the management of patients whose condition has deteriorated.
As a hospital we recognise that patients, carers and family members often know when their condition or that of a loved one is changing for the worse. The Call for Concern service complements the other patient safety initiatives already in place at our hospital.
You can contact the Call for Concern team if you are worried that your own condition as an inpatient, or that of your relative/friend admitted to our hospital, is getting worse.
How and when to make a Call for Concern
Always discuss your concerns with the doctors and nurses responsible for your care on the ward first. In daytime hours this can ensure that members of staff who know the most about your condition can give you advice and support, and act upon your concerns.
If you still decide you need/would like to speak to the Call for Concern team, you can call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The team will then triage your call and tell you what will happen next.
Contact the Call for Concern team when you feel that information about your condition is confusing, or when the concerns you have raised have not been recognised, acknowledged or addressed. This may include feeling more unwell or feeling that the treatment you are on is not working. The Call for Concern team can provide a rapid assessment and recommendation regarding a deteriorating episode.
The Call for Concern team will work closely with you and all the health care staff to act on your concerns. To improve your care, comfort and safety, all the health team members will work together to find solutions to the problems identified.
Call for Concern service will not be able to address the following areas:
'Second opinion' - this is a separate clinical process whereby a patient or their Next of Kin (NOK) may request a second opinion from a consultant with relevant speciality training, in the event they wish to seek added assurance regarding the clinical diagnosis and/or management plan.
Essential nursing care - this is best delivered by the nursing team caring for you/your loved one. You can also ask to speak to the nurse in charge/ward leader/matron if you have concerns regarding this element of you/your loved one’s care. This could include concerns around personal care, food, facilities, or staff working in that area.
Reporting general problems, for example issues with parking, food etc - your ward nurse can escalate concerns regarding this.
Address issues covered by the Patient Experience Team (PALS) - The Patient Experience Team offer an impartial and confidential service. They can listen to concerns and help resolve them informally, as well as providing information about organisations offering help and support in a range of areas. they can also explain the procedure for making a formal complaint You can email them on pals@dchft.nhs.uk or phone on 0800 7838058. Opening hours are 9am – 4pm Monday to Friday. The team can be located in North Wing, Level 1, main entrance.
Carer Support Service - Please speak with the ward nurses for more information on accessing this.
Counselling/bereavement support - Please speak with the ward nurses for more information on accessing this.
Responding to your call
When the team receive your call, they will request some simple details, such as name of the patient, date of birth, location (e.g. ward) and a brief description of the concern.
After prioritising the urgency of the concern, the team will (where appropriate) visit you on the ward to discuss your concerns, assess the situation and instigate treatment or further review as required.
The team will liaise with your/the patient’s medical team and any other relevant health care professionals, as needed to discuss management plan and ensure continuity of care.
Occasionally the team will be unable to immediately answer your call, however, please leave a message providing the same information as described above and a contact number and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
When a Call for Concern is made, the team will follow a process which is relevant to the referring area (e.g. paediatrics, neonates, adults, maternity)
Using Call for Concern will not negatively impact your/your loved one’s medical treatment and care in any way. We appreciate that occasionally a patient or their loved one may recognise something is wrong before the healthcare team does. We want to work with you to achieve the best outcome.
Martha's Rule
Call for Concern is in line with ‘Martha’s Rule’, which is being rolled out widely by the NHS in England to give patients and families access to an urgent review if they are worried about a condition getting worse.
Martha Mills died in 2021 after developing sepsis in hospital, where she had been admitted with a pancreatic injury after falling off her bike. Martha’s family’s concerns about her deteriorating condition were not responded to promptly, and in 2023 a coroner ruled that Martha would probably have survived had she been moved to intensive care earlier.
