Urgent Community Response service
The Urgent Community Response Service provides an urgent response in the community to Surrey Downs residents, 18 years of age and over, seven days a week from 8am to 8pm. It is based within three areas across Surrey Downs: Epsom, East Elmbridge and Dorking.
This service is delivered by a local, multidisciplinary team and aims to give patients the most appropriate support in their home, or usual place of residence, to prevent unnecessary hospital admission.
Within two hours of being referred, the UCR team carries out a thorough assessment of the patient’s health and social care needs and puts into place a personalised care plan and support measures to support, where possible, the patient to remain at home.
The team providing the UCR service is a multi-skilled team including doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, paramedics and rehabilitation support workers. This means the team can meet a range of needs quickly and offer the best level of support for each individual.
Accessing the service
Referrals to the service will be accepted from GPs, the ambulance service, NHS 111 and other health and social care professionals. Patients already known to community services can self-refer.
To make a referral please call the Single Point of Access (SPA) telephone number 0208 296 4488 (Option 3) to ensure your call is logged centrally, and patients are triaged as soon as possible.
Surrey Downs already has high performing rapid response community services and the UCR service builds upon these existing services, in line with national guidance set out in NHSEI’s Long Term Plan.
Urgent Community Response Service
The Urgent Community Response Service provides is delivered by a local, multidisciplinary team and aims to give patients the most appropriate support in their home, or usual place of residence, to prevent unnecessary hospital admission.
Find out more about the UCR service by watching our video.
Kaye, 74 years, UCR patient
I was referred to the Dorking UCR team in February after I had called my GP. I was worried as my legs were quite swollen and uncomfortable; I felt dreadful and was finding it difficult to walk. The previous nights had been difficult as I was too uncomfortable to lie down flat.
The Community Matron visited me and examined me and took a blood test. I was quickly started on water tablets and the Matron visited again two days later, and have been monitored closely ever since. The swelling has reduced and my mobility has now improved to the point where I was recently able to go out for dinner with my family for my birthday!
I haven’t been able to find a single fault in my experience with the Dorking UCR team, the team has been professional, kind, empathetic and responsive at every opportunity.