A new initiative in Sunderland has seen the local Age UK charity work with vulnerable hospital patients in the city to help ensure they're safe and well when they leave hospital.
Age UK Sunderland has received funding from the city's health and care partnership All Together Better which will see the charity's hospital discharge workers help those recently out of hospital by supporting them with day-to-day tasks like shopping, and also picking up prescriptions and helping someone get to medical appointments.
This comes as the wider NHS struggles with "delayed discharges" - with hospital trusts unable to send otherwise "medically-fit" patients home due to pressures on the social care system. Instead, patients remain in hospital beds and add to the strain on NHS capacity.
The new system should help patients at Sunderland Royal leave hospital and readjust to their daily lives, hospital bosses said. The South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Trust - which runs the hospital - has been working to tackle discharge issues. At times in January there were more than 100 "medically-optimised" patients still on the wards there, those this figure has fallen since then - on the last day for which data is available, April 3, there were 65.
The trust's system co-ordinator Rachel Daurat said: "Being discharged from hospital can be daunting and many patients will need additional support during this period of readjustment. This new service aims to make the transition from hospital to home easier for patients and their loved ones.
"Age UK staff work closely with our Hospital Discharge team and ward staff to identify any patients that may need a bit of extra support when they go home from hospital. The service will provide hands-on practical support, with the aim of improving the patient’s quality of life, as they continue to recover in the comfort of their own home."
The system sees the discharge worker available to check in on vulnerable over-50s who are sent home from hospital during the first six weeks after they leave the wards - this can involve helping link up the patient to support available in the community.
One patient who has benefitted from the service, said: "I was struggling to move around the house and make meals. The Hospital Discharge worker rang the duty social worker and arranged a same day assessment to get more help from carers. I wouldn't have known who to call myself."
Tracy Collins, director of Age UK Sunderland, echoed this, saying the organisation was to delighted to be working on the scheme. She said: "Going home after being in hospital can be a daunting and frightening experience for people who live alone or have little support. Our dedicated team will be on hand to; support people as they are discharged from hospital, support them for up to six weeks in their home, as well as making sure that the right follow up support is in place.”
The funding for the project has been provided by All Together Better - an alliance of health and care providers in the city. ATB's managing director Philip Foster said: "This is a great example of how the Sunderland health and care system is working closely with partners to provide joined up care for patients."
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