Early Intervention Community Sleep Support (EICSS)
Early Intervention Community Sleep Support (EICSS)
In early 2023, we began (in a TOP SECRET location!) our:
‘Early Intervention Community Pharmacy Sleep Support’ service or ‘EICSS’.
This new pharmacist-led clinical service helps people with suspected sleep issues access appropriate care at the earliest possible opportunity.
Utilising an evidence-based approach the sleep-trained pharmacist assesses, screens, recognises and facilitates care for:
- Snoring
- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome (OSAS)
- Insomnia
We are piloting the Early Intervention Community Sleep Support Service (EICSS) with what we consider are realistic pharmacy-led clinical services.
Services that a sleep-trained pharmacy team could and should offer right now; and assess the impact of these proposed services in terms that are currently measured (not creating new metrics).
We are:
- Providing earliest possible sleep support, in what is typically the most accessible setting (namely the community pharmacy)
- Assessing and signposting patients to appropriate care (not just the GP!)
- Facilitating (where appropriate) home sleep apnoea testing and/or cognitive behavioural therapy at an earlier time in the patient’s journey
We don’t expect to get it 100% right immediately.
That would mean we have nothing to learn!
And would be rather boring (yawn).
We absolutely expect problems.
We want to uncover the bugs, including how this is paid for.
We want to build the connections, open up the dialogue and drive change for the better. Systems and processes need joining up to benefit the patient and save the NHS and the patient money.
Learn more about us our board and scientific advisors, and our mission, aims and objectives.
If you’d like to offer evidence-based sleep services in your pharmacy, then please get in touch, we absolutely want to help you – to help people with suspected sleep disorders.
We consider the Early Intervention Community Sleep Support Service (EICSS) the correct and pragmatic approach to the public health crisis that sleep disorders represent.
We want to work with anyone in any organisation or body that can influence the EICSS positively.