Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) service

The outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy (OPAT) service allows patients who are medically stable but need short to long term intravenous (IV) antibiotic treatment, to be safely treated at home or in an outpatient setting. The service provides patients with the same quality care that they would otherwise receive as an in-patient, without the need for them to stay in hospital.

How does the service work? 

if you require short to long term antibiotic treatment, your doctor will discuss your treatment plan with an infectious diseases consultant; together they will decide if you are suitable to be referred to the OPAT service.

If you are, you will be seen by an OPAT specialist nurse and they will discuss the service with you in more detail. Patients and carers can be taught to self-administer IV antibiotics via a ‘vascular access device’ (also known as an IV line) or can be referred to community nurses for daily administration of their medication.  In some cases, patients may be seen on one of our day units.

Patients will be seen weekly by an OPAT nurse and fortnightly by the infectious diseases consultant.

Referral details

Referral to this service is only available internally.