Providing community intravenous therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic

Published Date: 01st November 2021

Publication Authors: Hodgkins P

Abstract
Community Intravenous Therapy is well established in most regions of the United Kingdom. Although there are national Good Practice Recommendations detailing the service provision of Outpatient Parenteral Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT), examples of extended service delivery of other therapies are limited.

This article describes the growth of the community IV service through integration with acute and primary care teams. IV Therapies delivered in addition to antimicrobials safely outside of the hospital setting are also discussed with scope for future areas of development explored. Benefits of care closer to home for patients during the global Covid-19 Pandemic are examined. As well as the potential for widening the whole gamut of practice for already established NHS community services through the development integrated working in a local care organisation.

 

Hodgkins, P. (2021). Providing community intravenous therapy during the COVID-19 pandemic. British Journal of Nursing. 30 (19), S4-S12

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