Incorporating the Intermediate Care Team (ICT), Rapid Response and Twilight District Nursing Team

The ICT is a multi-disciplinary team providing care, support and therapy to adults (and their carers) who are over the age of 18, and registered with a Kingston GP.

Its focus is on reducing the need for admission to hospital and facilitating earlier discharges from hospital through timely and positive interventions within the most appropriate environment. These can include Hobkirk House Rehabilitation Unit (a Royal Borough of Kingston Nursing Home), an Intermediate Care bed in Cedars' Unit at Tolworth Hospital if ongoing rehabilitation/intervention within a 24 hour protected environment is required, or within a home environment. Working in partnership with the District Nurses, the ICT nurses are now able to provide an intravenous (IV) therapy service to patients in the community.

The ICT operates an open referral system accepting referrals from both professionals and the general public. Referrals are accepted between the hours of 8am and 6pm Monday to Friday, and 9 am to 4pm at weekends. The telephone number for referrals is 020 8274 7088.  

The Twilight District Nursing Team, currently managed as part of the ICT, provides a range of nursing and therapeutic interventions to housebound patients in their own homes or within local residential homes. The team plays a key role in the care of patients with palliative care needs and those with long term conditions and currently operates between the hours of 7pm and midnight. The operational hours are currently under review in order to further improve and develop a service that meets the needs of the population.

Referrals to the Twilight Nursing Team can be made via telephone between the hours of 9am and 5pm, 7 days a week and via the Out of Hours G/P service between the hours of 7pm and 11pm. The telephone number for referrals is 020 8274 7088.

The Rapid Response service aims to deliver clinical/ therapeutic interventions to people in the community who are experiencing a health crisis, through a process of advanced assessment and clinical decision-making. It has a team of experienced nurses and health care assistants, supported by Advanced Nurse Practitioners and Prescribers, who will respond the same day with the aim of nursing a patient at home for up to 72 hours before onward referral to other community services if required. The team's scope is short term and, working in partnership with the wider Intermediate Care Team, services will be arranged in order to support a patient in the community (patient's own home or nursing home) to safely avoid unnecessary admission to hospital.

Referrals to the Rapid Response Team are accepted from health professionals between the hours of 10am and 7pm on weekdays and 10am and 5pm at weekend. The telephone number for referrals is 020 8274 7088.

All teams work in partnership with Community Care Services, the Voluntary Sector (such as Age Concern Kingston), Kingston Hospital and Primary Care Services to ensure seamless care for patients.