TopCare Nursing Agency has been working with Manx Care since January 2024 to provide intravenous (IV) antibiotic treatment for patients, administered in their own homes but remaining under the care of their hospital consultant.

This is a joint initiative between Manx Care and TopCare, which was initially launched to alleviate the pressures of the winter period on the hospital however has continued to be available throughout 2024 as data is collected on its impact on patient experience, outcomes and productivity.

Sal Heddi, owner of TopCare says: ‘The service is provided by our team of qualified nurses. The patient does not pay as Manx Care funds the service.

For patients who are discharged to receive antibiotic treatment at home, it allows them to be discharged earlier, which has a beneficial effect on the flow of patients through the hospital.

‘It also means that patients benefit because we do know that people get better quicker when they are treated at home, eating their own food and sleeping in their own beds.’

The process works like this: a patient with an acute infection is admitted into hospital and examined by a doctor in the normal way.

They will be started on a course of antibiotics, administered via an intravenous drip and monitored for the first 24-48 hours. If the doctor decides they would then be a good candidate to complete their course of antibiotics at home they can return home to finish the course.

Sal says: ‘A course of antibiotics can take up to three weeks, with the patient remaining in hospital during that time. With the Home IV service, patients can be at home quicker, allowing them to resume a normal life with their family and friends, but still get exactly the same treatment.

‘Blood tests are done at the end of the course so the consultant can check the results and decide if the infection has cleared, or the patient needs a further course or other investigation.’

Sal says: ‘Since we have been running this service we have seen very good impacts for all the patients and feedback from hospital clinicians has also been excellent’.

TopCare offers a range of services that can be carried out in people’s own homes e.g. blood tests.

Sal says: ‘We offer blood tests at home, or at people’s workplace, which saves going to a GP or hospital. We are more flexible and we offer this service from 8am – 10pm, seven days a week.

As well as 24-hour nursing care, which includes complex care needs for both adults and children, they have a home help service which includes personal care, medication administration, meal preparation and assistance with shopping.

And they run a fully staffed respite care facility which can be booked for short stays so that a carer might, for example, be able to go away for a weekend.

TopCare has grown since winning the award for Small/Medium Business of the Year at last year’s Media Isle of Man Awards for Excellence and now employs just over 100 full and part time staff. This year they are an Awards partner, sponsoring one of the award categories.

Sal says: ‘For us, the awards helped to consolidate the business so that we have been able to diversify and offer more services to our clients.’

‘An Awards for Excellence win is a big recognition.’