Patients to benefit from new ENT Service in South East London
NHS South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB) has commissioned a new community based Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) service to reduce waiting times, enhance patient choice, and alleviate demand for secondary care outpatient services in the region.
After a competitive procurement process, the SEL ICB has awarded the contract to Communitas Clinics to set up and operate the new service across south east London.
The new community ENT service will address a wide array of common ENT conditions for adults and paediatric patients such as blocked noses, hearing issues and ear problems.
Toby Garrood, Medical Director for the South East London Integrated Care Board said:
“We are thrilled to start the process of establishing this new community ENT service in south east London.
“We have been working to improve access and reduce waits for ENT services for south east London residents for some time now, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This new service will make a significant improvement in cutting waiting times for south east London’s ENT patients and providing them with more flexibility and access to care.”
Nilu Vajpeyi, Clinical Director from Communitas Clinics said:
“We’re absolutely delighted to be delivering this new ENT community service. Improving access for patients is very important to us, and after working with NHS Trusts across London to successfully reduce waiting lists, we’re looking forward to supporting South East London ICB to do the same.”
The community service will play a pivotal role in building capacity and expertise within the community. By managing less complex cases locally, NHS trusts like Guys and St Thomas’s, King’s College Hospital and Lewisham and Greenwich will have greater capacity to concentrate on the most urgent surgical and high-complexity cases.
Tony Aymat, Lewisham and Greenwich ENT Consultant and SEL ENT Network Clinical Lead said:
“The new community service will provide vital additional outpatient capacity to treat South East London ENT patients. As well as bringing care closer to home for many patients.
“All three acute trusts in South East London will work closely with Communitas Clinics to design and deliver this new service so that it meets the needs of our patients. We will work together as a healthcare system to ensure there is continuity for patients across community and hospital settings.”
During the mobilisation period from March to June, the community service will work closely with primary and secondary care providers. Training sessions organised by Communitas Clinics will equip healthcare professionals with the necessary skills for a seamless transition.