Welcome to the Intravenous at home (IV) service
Who are the IV at Home team?
We are a multi-disciplinary team made up of specialist IV nurses, staff nurses, microbiologists, consultants and specialist antibiotic pharmacists. We work closely with your hospital consultant, and community teams to provide co-ordinated care.
Our mission
As a team we strive to deliver excellent evidence based, person-centred care, through high quality assessment and delivery of IV therapy in the home environment. We are an integrated care partnership, and our patients are central to everything we do. We are working to bring care closer to home in line with the NHS ten year forward plan - of the right care, for the right person in the right place. In doing so we aim to improve patient experience and flow through the hospital.
Home IV therapy allows patients to have intravenous antibiotic treatment in their own homes. The service provides supported early discharge for patients admitted to hospital with infections.
Many people prefer having IV therapy in their own homes rather than in hospital. It means they can be more independent, spend time with loved ones and continue with work or study.
Common conditions we are able to treat.
- Cellulitis
- Pyelonephritis
- Lung abscesses
- Cerebral abscesses
- Empyema
- Osteomyelitis
- Prosthetic joint infection/infection of other prosthetic implanted material
- Other infections
IV antibiotics is medication given intravenously (through the veins) straight into the bloodstream. Different types of long thin flexible tubes called IV lines are used for IV therapy.
The IV line chosen for your treatment will depend on your veins and how long you will need medication. The IV line is inserted into your vein and held in place by a dressing. The IV line can stay in place for the whole of the IV medication course.
Your hospital consultant at Macclesfield District General Hospital, will make the decision that you are able to receive your IV antibiotics in your own home and will continue to oversee your care once you are at home. Upon receiving a referral, the specialist IV nurse will review and meet you in the hospital ward.
Following your discharge from hospital, the IV nursing team will visit you at home to administer your IV antibiotics as prescribed. (e.g. this may be daily, every 48 hours or every 72 hours).
They will provide you with support and education for the duration of your IV antibiotic therapy at home and will give you information about your IV line and inform how you can look after it in your own home.
While under our care we will check vital signs at each visit, bloods will be taken weekly, and we will discuss you at our weekly MDT to ensure that you are receiving the best care. You will be included in all aspects of your care and will be informed of outcomes of MDT meetings each week.
At the end of your treatment, your line will be safely removed, and aftercare information will be provided.
You will be discharged back to the care of your consultant or GP and will also be asked if you are able to feedback by completing a survey to help improve the IV at home service.
"The IV at Home service delivered at East Cheshire has really helped me recover. It has given me the care I need, but at the same time allowed me to return to something like a normal life – with plenty of independence.
"This has been good for me personally as I have been able to return to work, do some gentle exercises and most importantly be with my family. I am far happier being at home than being restricted to a hospital ward, using a bed and using resources that someone else might benefit from or need more than me."
Our service is based at Macclesfield District General Hospital in New Alderley House and operates from 9am – 5pm, seven days a week.
We cover all five of the Cheshire East Care Communities:
- BDP – Bollington, Disley and Poynton
- CHAW – Chelford, Handforth , Alderley Edge and Wilmslow
- CHOC – Congleton and Holmes Chapel
- Knutsford Care Community
- Macclesfield Care Community
All enquiries should go through Crewe Care Community by calling 01270 278420.
Please note the advice line is not an emergency service. If you require urgent medical advice you must contact your GP surgery, contact NHS 111 or consider attending your local accident and emergency department.
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