Residents in South Lanarkshire are soon to benefit from better community-based care through an extension of the NHS's 'home first' approach.
The initiative aims to reduce unnecessary hospital stays and ensure that people can be cared for at home where possible.
Over £4m is now being invested for more health and social care staff as part of the move.
Members of South Lanarkshire’s Integration Joint Board (IJB) heard yesterday about action being taken to significantly extend the coverage of the Home First approach across local communities.
Another focus on the extension is to support timely discharge through the implementation of the planned date of discharge (PDD) programme.
This aims to establish a clear date of when someone will go home (or to a community setting) – at the earliest possible stage during their stay in hospital.
By providing a clear route-map through the hospital ‘journey’, PDD will contribute to reducing uncertainty and anxiety on the part of individuals and their carers and families.
Soumen Sengupta, director of health and care for South Lanarkshire, said: “During a time of need – such as ill health – most of us will want to be close to our loved ones, in familiar surroundings, within our communities.
“We also know that drawing on these connections with families and friends can improve recovery.
"This is the very essence of the 'home first' ethos – which also places a person’s needs and wishes at the centre of all decision making.”
As the partnership embarks on a careful process to move out of social care contingency measures activated during the festive period, members of the IJB heard how 'home first' underpins the response to one of the most challenging periods on record.
Plans are in place to build further momentum around various practical steps that make 'home first' a reality in the longer term.
This includes the continuation of vital work by the focused, multi-disciplinary 'home first' team who currently work closely with colleagues at Hairmyres Hospital.
Over £4m is now being invested to recruiting health and social care staff and so enable the further expansion of 'home first' across South Lanarkshire.
Mr Sengupta added: “Our staff work exceptionally hard – and challenge themselves – to do their best to ensure that people across South Lanarkshire receive the right care in the right place at the right time.
“That ambition has been significantly tested through the pandemic and across the last few months in particular.
“The significant investment in our 'home first' approach – with its accompanying expansion of our community workforce – will strengthen their and our ability to deliver transformed care as we move through 2022 and beyond.”
Chairman of the South Lanarkshire IJB, Councillor John Bradley, said: “Alongside coping with the unrelenting pressures of the pandemic, our staff and partners remain committed to developing and embracing leading edge models of care today – which are fit for all our tomorrows.
“The detailed work that has been and is being undertaken to scale up Home First is a testament to their tremendous fortitude and foresight – which can only be applauded.”
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