A GROUNDBREAKING project that has seen A&E specialists teaming up with paramedics to try to reduce admissions by taking the hospital to patients, could be extended following a successful trial period.

The Physician Response Unit (PRU) attended more than 280 patients during its first two-and-a-half months on the roads of Gwent, with fewer than one-in-five being admitted to hospital.

Consisting of a fast response vehicle, similar to a rapid response vehicle (RRV) but with extra equipment, the PRU is staffed on rota by consultants in emergency medicine from the Royal Gwent Hospital and a Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust paramedic.

The duty RU team has been able to get remote access to calls coming into ambulance control so it can self-select appropriate 999 incidents, and it can also be sent on calls directly by control, or be asked by ambulance crews already on scene.

The unit was funded to the tune of £34,000 as part of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board's winter plan for 2014/15.

Preventing unnecessary admissions and journeys to busy A&E departments, and freeing up ambulances, were key aims, and the figures for the first 11 weeks indicate that it has played a part in keeping people out of hospital during what proved an extremely busy period for the NHS in Gwent.

Almost 120 of the patients seen by the PRU team were discharged at the scene with no follow-up needed. Many of these patients might have ended up being taken to hospital through the traditional ambulance system.

Close to 50 patients who had to be taken to hospital bypassed the A&E departments at either the Royal Gwent or Nevill Hall hospital, because the consultant on the PRU was able to identify the most appropriate part of the hospital for them to be taken to, and to prepare the relevant staff ahead of their arrival.

Around 30 patients were discharged after PRU intervention, with arrangement for a follow-up with their GP, again avoiding a trip to hospital, and in a small number of cases patients were discharged on scene with a follow-up through the Gwent Frailty Programme.

The PRU, run by the health board in conjunction with the ambulance service, is unique in Wales, the health board having a number of consultants in emergency medicine with experience of treating patients 'pre-hospital' due to previous jobs, making Gwent an ideal base for a pilot project.

Health board bosses are considering the effectiveness of the Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm service ahead of a decision on whether or not to extend it.