SOUTH TYNESIDE & SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUST 

Denise Slark, Community Matron, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, had already been on the lookout for a new system for her team to use to coincide with them adopting the ONPOS system.

She wanted something that looked professional and that would enable the nurses to have everything to hand and reduce the time and resource spent on travelling back to base and boot.

To ensure a thorough review of our Community Kit Bag, the trial involved a mix of Community Nurses and Health Care Assistants within the Washington District, with nine different members of the team given the opportunity to trial the system at some point during a five week period.

The time spent using the system differed by nurse, from one day to a full working week.

All staff involved in the trial were advised to remove any previous methods for equipment/stock storage and transportation to ensure the trial was as comprehensive as possible.

Within the time frame, 275 patients were visited who had a diverse range of requirements.

Prior to the trial, we worked with Denise and her team to establish current costs. Then, each nurse completed a pre-trial questionnaire to benchmark various statistics.

During the trial they continued to record the same information so they were able to compare, like for like, the efficiencies and cost savings derived directly through using the system.

• Everything was to hand, reducing back to boot or back to base trips/revisits.

• It was much more compact, resulting in a more organised boot.

• They saved time and looked more professional.

• The reflective strips were safe for the darker nights.

• Generally they felt more organised and able to complete multiple tasks in one trip. 

‘I was very sceptical about having to be involved in the trial and didn’t see how the bags could make such a difference to my daily routine. By the end I didn’t want to give it back!’
SARAH WILSON, SOUTH TYNESIDE & SUNDERLAND NHS FOUNDATION TRUST