The Walton Centre developed its networked care model in response to:
- a large geographical region needing specialist provision.
- a national shortage of neurologists, worst per head in Europe.
- general medical consultants covering neurology as ‘best they could’ in DGHs.
The Walton Centre Neuro Network is a hub and spoke model with the
following features:
- A central specialist unit sends consultants out to other DGH clinics.
- Complex patients travel to the centre and all surgery is done there.
- The trust owns the activity.
- The trust pays host trusts for space and clinic staff.
- Neurology nurses attend widely-spread local health centres and GP units and also deliver some nurse-led hospital clinics.
- Bookings for clinics are administered centrally.
- 60% activity is performed at the centre, 40% at other sites.