What is a Managed Clinical Network (MCN)?
An MCN is a linked group of health professionals and organisations across different sections of the health service. The aim of the MCN is to bring these different health professionals and organisations together and help them work in a more co-ordinated manner without restrictions. This will ensure that the same high quality care is delivered to all patients living in Lanarkshire. This will ensure the same high quality care is delivered to all patients living in Lanarkshire
The Palliative Care MCN is led by Lead Palliative Care Clinician/GP Facilitator Dr Rosalie Dunn who has been awarded an MBE for her work founding and overseeing The Haven in Blantyre, a drop in centre offering complete support to people with palliative care needs.
There is a large Steering Group which meets every three months and discusses how they can improve the service available to people with palliative care needs in Lanarkshire. The Steering Group comprises palliative care specialists/health professionals from the hospices, hospitals and the community (GPs, head district nurses, lead pharmacist, Macmillan and Marie Curie team leaders, representatives from The Haven in Blantyre, The Little Haven in Forth, the Dalziel Centre in Motherwell, the Kilbryde Day Hospice in East Kilbride and Maggie's Lanarkshire in Wishaw), patients and carers, spiritual and bereavement counsellors.
The Palliative Care Executive Group and the Clinical Governance Group meet in between and they make decisions to improve the level of care offered by NHS Lanarkshire based on the discussions at the Steering Group meetings.
The MCN is currently working on implementing the Scottish Government's Living and Dying Well action plan and the first two phases of the delivery plan are now in place.
Home Packs
The revamped yellow home packs contain essential palliative care documents for health professionals, including the LPCAT, pain tool, and also information on the wealth of support for people with palliative care needs, their families and carers in Lanarkshire. Available from the MCN office (contact details below).
Just in Case Boxes
A pilot has been underway in GP practices in Airdrie and Clydesdale and all involved are very enthusiastic. Just in Case Boxes will now be rolled out across Lanarkshire. The boxes are supplied with a prescription/administration record form, patient information leaflet, spare labels, audit form and reordering details. The prescription can be generated electronically and only requires the signature of the GP. A summary of the audit will be reported in the next newsletter. If you would like supplies of the boxes for your GP practice please contact the MCN office (details below).
For more information on any of the above or details of NHS Lanarkshire's palliative care services, please contact:
Dr Helen Alexander
Network Manager
Heather McDonald
Network Co-Ordinator
Palliative Care Managed Clinical Network
NHS Lanarkshire
Red Deer Centre
Alberta Avenue
East Kilbride G75 8NH
Tel: 01355 583467/8
Email:
helen.alexander@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk
heather.mcdonald2@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk