Extending Patient Contact Handbook 2018/19

Escorted Visits

These refer to visits to patients in their own homes by members of the primary care team accompanied by the medical student. The patient's permission for the medical student to be present during the home visit should be obtained.

Unescorted visits

Where students are expected to visit patients in their own homes without an accompanying healthcare worker the supervising clinician will have previously selected and consented an appropriate patient for such an activity. Patients will have been given details about the purpose of the visit, the timing and the names of the students. Students should ideally visit in pairs, but if they are on a single-student attachment and have met the patient previously and wish to undertake a visit on their own this can be safely managed.

If the following are adhered to all should be well:

1. Know where you are going and plan your journey
2. Ask for help and instructions from your tutor if unsure
3. Ensure your practice knows where you are going and when you are expected back
4. Be clear about the purpose of your visit and how to conduct yourself
5. Always carry your identification card, adequate finances to get you home, your mobile phone and an A-Z map
6. Terminate and excuse yourself from the visit if for any reason you feel unsafe

Students are asked to discuss with their tutors any planned visits they feel uncomfortable with, in which case the tutor will accompany you.

You can access details of your practice if you have lost the information, provided you know the rough location and name from: http://www.nhs.uk/england/

In London you plan a journey using the Transport for London website: http://www.journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk/index.html