Publish date: 7 April 2025
Mersey Care developed a robust and comprehensive winter/resilience plan to help keep our service users and patients well and alleviate pressure on the wider system. Despite facing challenging periods, the plan ensured minimal disruption and overall, it was an incredibly positive outcome under difficult conditions.
By the end of March 2025, data indicated an increase in patient flow through key services, such as Urgent Community Response, Longmoor House and Telehealth. Additionally, there were significant improvements in performance, including improved response and treatment times within the community and a reduction to impatient length of stay.
Throughout the busy winter period, mental health care services continued to support patients and service users, including those in crisis, through urgent care services available seven days a week. This approach further supported patient flow and helped to reduce pressure on emergency services.
Some key highlights for community services include:
- 131,270 face to face attendances across our walk-in and urgent treatment centres, with 97% of patients being seen and treated in four hours.
- 4,705 referrals into 2-hour Urgent Community Response, which is up 40% on last winter!
- 3,251 Telehealth home installations took place for patients requiring virtual wards and treatment for COVID, acute monitoring and long-term condition monitoring.
Some key highlights for mental health services include:
- 61,780 calls to the crisis line to support those in need.
- 768 potential admissions avoided through additional seven day working within mental health teams.
- Both Core 24 and mental health triage cars supported those in crisis.
Once again, this year’s winter plan was also supported by a successful communications and marketing campaign.
