PUBLIC SERVICES PARTNER TO GET PATIENTS FROM HOSPITAL TO HOME
19 September 2019
An innovative partnership between local public services is celebrating a successful first year amidst glowing feedback from local people.
Known as the Hospital to Home Service (HTH), the project is a collaboration between Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service (WFRS) and South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust (SWFT). It supports people aged over 65 to settle back into their homes safely after being been discharged from Accident & Emergency (A&E) departments.
HTH staff help to get people comfortable by doing things like preparing drinks and snacks as well as contacting friends, family or care agencies to inform them the patient is home. They then undertake assessments to identify any potential risks and offer advice on further support in a bid to reduce the likelihood of readmission to hospital. In addition to carrying out Fire Safety Checks, WFRS staff look at a wide range of areas that can impact health and well-being such as loneliness, home security and heating, poverty, smoking cessation and slips, trips and falls.
This service responds to requests for transport within one hour. Getting well patients out of hospital at the earliest opportunity helps the A&E department to operate more efficiently with new patients being seen more quickly.
Rachel Williams, Associate Director of Operations for Emergency Department, said: “We’re really pleased with the success of the HTH service. In the year since we launched the partnership, hundreds of patients have been transported home and benefitted from the fantastic service provided by WFRS staff.
“Something that is relatively simple has had a huge positive impact because we can ensure people are safe and settled in, which means they are less likely to end up back in hospital following a fall, for example. It’s one of the initiatives we’ve implemented to improve how patients flow through the healthcare system, helping them to efficiently receive the care they need.”
Rosemary was one of the patients that have recently benefitted from Hospital to Home as the service marked its one year milestone. As part of the assessment, the HTH team found her smoke alarm was faulty so installed two new ones. They also provided education to help reduce the risk of Rosemary having a fire in her home, explaining to her the importance of having an escape plan and not leaving cooking unattended.
Rosemary’s daughter was full of praise for the staff, commenting on Facebook: “Fantastic team going the extra mile, truly made my mother feel safe in her own home and wonderful staff, really appreciated all their support.”
Press release from South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust.