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An initiative at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) has enabled a patient to celebrate his wife’s surprise 70th birthday at Lake Windermere instead of remaining in hospital for treatment. 

The clinical team dedicated to helping people avoid lengthy hospital stays while continuing long-term intravenous (IV) antibiotic treatment is celebrating over 12 months of supporting patients via a new initiative. 

The outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) service allows inpatients requiring IV antibiotics to be discharged early from hospital. 

The new OPAT initiative teaches patients to self-administer IV antibiotics at home, enhancing patient independence and ensuring hospital beds are available for others in need of inpatient medical care. 

To support them further, patients receive a detailed pack outlining procedures and safety measures, giving them the confidence to manage their treatment independently. 

Suzanne Carr, Clinical Nurse Specialist, OPAT said: “By getting patients out of hospital sooner and them returning to the place they call home, they are able to recover in a more familiar setting, improving their experience. Patients leave hospital with the knowledge that they are competent to administer their own intravenous antibiotics and are in regular contact with nurses and support, 24 hours a day, should they require help.” 

Seventy-four-year-old Malcolm McKinnon was admitted to Heartlands Hospital late last year with Necrotising Otitis Externa, a severe ear infection requiring IV antibiotics four times a day. Despite needing the treatment, he felt he was occupying a hospital bed that could be used for someone in greater need.  

He said: “I didn’t feel ill enough to need a hospital bed; I just needed the antibiotics to help me get better.  When the team suggested that my wife could be trained to administer them at home, it seemed like a great idea.” 

Thanks to the OPAT team, Malcolm’s wife, Grace McKinnon, was provided with comprehensive training over two days and a step-by-step guide to safely administer the treatment. Although Grace is a retired nurse, she initially felt apprehensive about managing her husband’s IV antibiotics at home. 

She said: “As a nurse, the idea of handling an IV seemed a bit stressful, and I was nervous at first. But the support and training from the OPAT team was fantastic. They reassured me, and before long, I found it easy to manage.” 

The opportunity to continue care at home brought significant benefits to the couple. Not only did Malcolm recover in a comfortable and familiar environment, but Grace was also spared daily hospital visits from their home in Streetly. 

Grace added: “This initiative didn’t just help us, it also freed up NHS resources for other patients in need. I would absolutely recommend this training to others. 

The experience also had an unexpected bonus, Grace was able to celebrate her milestone 70th birthday with her family at Lake Windermere. 

Grace said: “Without the OPAT training, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy the surprise trip my family planned. Thanks to the training, Malcolm could receive his treatment out of hospital, and we were able to create wonderful memories as a family together.” 

The OPAT team has presented the project at various conferences, sharing the positive impact on patient care and their efforts to improve patient outcomes.