Cork City and Environs

Community Intervention Team (CIT)

 

CIT expands to take day referrals.

The HSE South established a new service in May of this year to provide additional services in the community, on 7-day basis, to support General Practitioners and acute hospitals in Cork city. This support is the provision fast-tracked access to Nursing and Home Help services for patients with an acute episode or illness, who have been medically assessed and it has been determined that their care can be managed in their own home, with the additional services of the CIT. To date, the team has taken referrals through SouthDoc and CUH Emergency Department.

The main focus of the CIT is the prevention of avoidable hospital admissions and the facilitation of early discharge from hospital. This will be done through the provision of immediate supports by the team of Public Health Nurses (PHNs), Registered General Nurses (RGNs) and Home Helps dedicated to the CIT. The team will manage the care of the patient until their care can be transferred back to mainstream community services and the aim is that this will happen within 72 hours.

The Community Intervention Team is expanding its service from 18th September 2006, to take patient referrals from General Practitioners and Acute hospitals in the city between 8am and 11.30pm on a 7-day basis. The team is based in the South Ring Business Park, adjacent to the SouthDoc premises.

Criteria for referral

The CIT will operate for patients within a 10-mile radius of Cork City. A patient would be considered suitable for referral if:

The patient presents with an illness or acute episode, which can be managed in the home but the patient, cannot self-manage and/or the patient requires the provision of non-medical care supports in the home, such as Nursing or Home Help.

Procedure

The GP and ED staff can contact the Community Intervention Team directly to discuss the patient’s care on: