University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is committed to improving patient safety. One aspect of patient safety is for us to identify when a patient’s health is getting worse, to intervene as quickly as possible. 

What is Call4Concern©?

Call4Concern© is a patient safety service that allows patients and families to call for immediate help and advice when they are concerned about their own or their loved one’s changing condition.

  • It allows patients, relatives, and visitors a direct line of communication to raise concerns about their changing condition.
  • It supports relatives and visitors to share their concerns so, that we can all respond earlier and faster.

When should a patient, relative, or visitor call Call4Concern©?

Some changes in the patient they may notice before anyone else:

  • they seem different to usual – ‘not themselves’.
  • more sleepy than usual
  • behaving differently/strangely/newly confused
  • breathing differently
  • refusing or struggling to eat or drink
  • their hands feel cold or extremely hot
  • sweating
  • in pain/look uncomfortable
  • changes in their speech
  • they are worried about their condition.

What should I do first?

The first step is to contact the ward nurses and doctors. They should have introduced themselves to you. When you approach them, tell them: “I am concerned about ……”you do not need to know exactly what is wrong. It is OK to say that the patient seems different to how they usually are. 

What happens next?

  1. The ward nurses and doctor will see them first and try to resolve the issues.
  2. If you feel that the healthcare team have not yet recognised your concern and you feel that the condition is getting worse, then you can call Call4Concern© directly on the mobile number 07816 196 122.
  3. A PERRT (Patient Emergency Response and Resuscitation Team) nurse will answer the phone as soon as they can, or they may need to call you back later. 
  4. When you call, we will need this information:
    • patient name and date of birth
    • hospital number if possible (MRN on wristband)
    • ward and bed number
    • your contact number and relationship to patient.
  5. Contacting us will not negatively impact on you or your loved one’s care.

 

Please note that this is a pilot project. This means that we are testing how it works in a small area of the hospital before expanding it further. 

Call4Concern© is not for other concerns like food, facilities, parking, visiting or any concern other than a patient who is feeling worse. To report these, please ask a member of staff to point you in the direction of the ward manager or to help you contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).