1. Community Intravenous Therapy (IVT) Team
Outpatient Antibiotic Therapy (OPAT) in Gloucestershire – IV Service

2. Referrals
Patients can be referred by GP, Consultant, Doctors or Specialist Nurses
IV Lead Nurse – Andrea Darby

3. Changes to the Intravenous Therapy Service
From September 25th IVT will be 7/7
IV pager service is no longer in use
Referrals to the Countywide IV Therapy Team –
(SPCA - Single Point of Clinical Access)
IVT - Mon – Fri - 08:00 – 17:00
Sat – Sun and OOH’s (SPCA will pass onto appropriate services)
Advice and support (non-urgent) – IV Team co-ordinator
Mon – Fri - 08:00 – 18:00 – Sat – Sun - 09:00 – 17:00 –
Our aim is to create an integrated model of health and social care provision in Gloucestershire aligning the IV team to the GP cluster localities. With specific care pathways we provide personalised high quality, safe and sustainable care for local people promoting personal health, wellbeing and independence for ‘Care Closer to Home’.
The team also provide training and support to other healthcare professionals in all aspects of IV Therapy. We are made up of eleven highly specialised IV nurses and an administrator supporting District Nursing Teams to deliver IV therapies in the community. The team deliver planned therapies in countywide clinics and unplanned IV antibiotic therapy for hospital admission avoidance and early discharge from hospital for patients at home.

4. Information Leaflet
GCS Leaflet – Community IV Therapy Service – Information for Healthcare Professionals
Can navigate to leaflet via:

5. What choice of antibiotic could allow a patient to be referred to Home community IV team?
Most antibiotics are once daily
Occasionally BD courses are given if capacity
Most commonly used IV antibiotics are:
Teicoplanin
Daptomycin
Ceftriaxone
Ertapenem
More rarely – ceftazidime, meropenem

6. Most frequently treated infective conditions
Cellulitis
Wound Infections
Osteomyelitis
UTIs caused by multiply-resistant organisms
Bronchiectasis
Referrals from:
Gloucestershire
Out of county referrals for pts being repatriated to Gloucestershire – Oxford (NOC), Bristol, Birmingham, Swindon, London

7. Care and Maintenance
Weekly blood monitoring (or more frequent as required) by the IV Therapy Team
Routinely:
FBC
U+Es and eGFR
CRP
When necessary:
Antibiotic assays / levels – TDM
CPK
Daily and weekly care and maintenance of the IV devices
Follow up and communication with Consultant/Doctor/GP and or referrer for any treatment adjustments
Audits

8. Inclusion Criteria
Patients need to fit IV pathway inclusion criteria
Patients will require a PICC line for IV therapy treatments for more than 10 days
Patients must have review and follow up appointment with referrer
In-hospital prescription chart, drugs (4 days supply) and consumables must be sent home with the patient on discharge

9. Resources and Patient Information