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Urgent Community Response Service

If you suddenly become unwell, your GP or health or social care professional could refer you to our Urgent Community Response (UCR) service.

Our service aims to avoid an unplanned hospital stay when you have an urgent healthcare need, by supporting you at home.

We can be with you within 2 hours of a referral.

Watch our Urgent Community Response and Virtual Wards video on our YouTube channel (opens new browser tab)

Urgent Community Response where you live

We can visit you wherever you live, either in your own home or a care home.

We provide assessment and short-term intervention, usually in one day. If you need further care, we can refer you to our Frailty Virtual Ward or guide you to other health or social care services. We can also recommend adaptations to your home or request equipment to help you maintain your independence.

If you live in a care home, we will work closely with care home staff until your condition is stable.

You still remain under the care of your GP.

Depending on your needs, staff from our team may visit and help you get back to being able to carry out your usual daily tasks.

Specialists that may visit you, could include: 

  • Nurse and Paramedic Practitioners, to carry out assessments such as blood pressure, temperature and pulse checks
  • Multi Therapy Assistant (MTA) to take blood or other tests
  • Occupational Therapist, to see if you’re able to do everyday tasks, such as washing, dressing and cooking, and whether you need equipment to help you
  • ​Physiotherapists, to look at how you’re walking and getting out of your bed and chair and suggesting exercises to help with your strength and balance
  • Pharmacist, to review existing prescriptions and provide other medication as required
  • A Geriatrician to review and advise on your medical needs

We may also provide equipment and guide you to other support services if we think it will help you. 

When we will contact you

After we have received your referral from your GP, health or care professional, or through NHS111, we aim to be  at your home within 2 hours. 

Your care and support plan

We will find out more about the difficulties you are experiencing and create a care and support plan with you.

We’ll contact your GP to let them know we’re helping you.

After you have been seen by the UCR Team you may be discharged or referred for longer term care.

Patient stories

Jo Hodgetts is the Ageing Well lead in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. She is is very familiar with urgent community response services in her patch so when her grandmother had a series of falls at home, she secured a referral to Berkshire West Urgent Community Response (UCR) team through Barbara’s GP.

Read Jo and Barbara's story (pdf)

Frailty Virtual Wards help prevent hospital stays by supporting you in your home or care home if you suddenly become unwell.

Our service gives you the same level of high-quality patient care, with access to all the same investigations and treatment you would receive in hospital, without needing to be admitted.

While you’re a Frailty Virtual Ward patient, you will be under the care of a consultant geriatrician and can expect to be seen by a healthcare professional in your own home every day.  

We will carry out an urgent assessment and put in short-term interventions. These can include intravenous (IV) antibiotics and fluids, physiotherapy, or equipment.

You could be under our care for up to 5 days, but this depends on your needs. In most cases you won’t have to go into hospital at all and will be able to remain at home for your treatment.

When your treatment is completed, you will then be discharged back to the care of your GP. We may also refer you to other community services or carer support providers as necessary. 

Referrals

The UCR is only available via a referral from your GP, a health care or social care professional, or NHS 111 or 999.

They will contact our Integrated Hub which manages all referrals for our community services.

Out of hours, and urgent help

Call NHS 111 if you have any concerns about your health.

Call 999 in an emergency.

We are open every day, including bank holidays, during the times below.

If we receive your referral after 6pm we may hold your examination until the next day.

Day of the week Time
Monday 8am to 8pm
Tuesday 8am to 8pm
Wednesday 8am to 8pm
Thursday 8am to 8pm
Friday 8am to 8pm
Saturday 8am to 8pm
Sunday  8am to 8pm